FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville city planning commissioners have approved a 180-unit hilltop development geared to the University of Arkansas’ growing student population.
The Vue will be a 656-bedroom complex built on Paris Avenue south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, overlooking the transformation of Fayetteville High School. Paris Avenue would be an extension of Garland Avenue if the streets connected.
The university’s Office of Institutional Research recently reported fall enrollment last year of 23,199, an increase of 4,005 students - or more than 20 percent - since 19,194 enrolled in fall 2008.
Finding space for UA students has become an issue. About 5,000 students live on campus this academic year, UA officials have said. Chancellor G. David Gearhart told trustees Nov. 18 that 800 students who wanted to live in dormitories had to live off campus because of a lack of on-campus space.
UA-Fayetteville has a $46.2 million bond issue in the works that would finance capital projects that include converting Hotz Hall back to a dormitory; building a dormitory adjacent to the Brough Commons dining hall, which is also being expanded; and constructing an office building for University Housing.
Meanwhile, some private developers are working on projects such as the one approved Monday by the city planners. The developer is Houstonbased Park Green Properties. Park Green Properties and New Jersey-based University Student Living are partners on the project.
Lance McFaddin, managing member of the development firm, said construction will begin between May 1 and June 1 and will take about a year to complete.
Information for this article was contributed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 03/29/2012