Dorms
may experience some growing pains
Dylana
Foy
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
More beds, improved dorm rooms, and new dining facilities are on the horizon
for students planning to live on campus according to Stan Olin, director of
Housing and Residential Life.
Though buildings are not yet being torn down and replaced, it doesn’t
mean bulldozers and construction workers won’t be around soon as plans
are already being made for new dorms to accommodate more than 2,000 students,
Olin said.
A five-phase plan to double student housing is expected to be finished in 15-20
years, with phase one to hopefully be done in the next four years, Olin said.
With more students applying to Cal State Long Beach every year, there are more
demands for on campus housing. According to the Student Services CSULB brochure
applications grew 123 percent from 1997 to 2005 — from 3,635 to more
than 8,100.
The Housing and Residential Life office has been looking for a solution to
the problem for years. Students who didn’t apply for housing in time
would have to live at off-campus sites, like the dorms at Brooks College on
PCH. For over five years university representatives were in talks with the
Veteran Affairs Hospital to build on their extra land. However, not much came
from the talks, and it was time for a new solution. That is when the school
decided on building on the existing property, Olin said.
“
Lets not tear down anything if we don’t have too,” he said.
However, this doesn’t mean current buildings won’t be knocked down
and replaced. Olin said they are trying to let students live in peace as much
as possible and have a “minimal amount of deconstruction.”
To students, it doesn’t seem like there is much room to add new dorms
to the campus.
It may seem crowded, but for phase one, the school plans to build among the
existing dorms. A 400-bed, four-story Residence Hall is being considered for
the area behind Los Alamitos Hall.
“
We are putting it in our backyard,” Olin said. “Somebody that came
here 18-20 years ago wouldn’t even recognize the place.”
With the campus planning to makeover the living arrangements for students,
a student perspective will be considered.
“
We want to be hand-in-glove with the students while the process is going on,” Olin
said.
The Housing and Residential Life office wants students to be involved with
color schemes and other specifics that go into building.
“
[We want to] to put in what students want within some bounds.” Olin said. “But
we can’t look like the Ritz Carlton.”
The university also plans to build a new dining hall where the Residence Commons
office currently sits. The new dining hall will be “bigger, nicer in
appearance, and have more variety,” according to Olin.
There are plans to put in new features like a convenience store, where residences
can get toothpaste, laundry detergent, ink cartridges and deodorant. There
also plans of putting in an after-hours eatery called “coffee shop.” There
have been after-hours eateries in the past that haven’t worked out on
campus. But the administration feels students need a place to get food after
the dinning halls have closed, without having to go off-campus.
Brittinni Dent, a third-year dorm resident and communications major, likes
the idea of a late night dining experience.
“
I would be in favor of a coffee bar or something because they close the dining
hall too early,” She said. “They need to have places here that
are open later.”
While she doesn’t expect a full menu to be offered at late night dining
venues, she thinks items like cereal, fruits, coffee and other snacks would
benefit residents.
Charles Bostick, a resident assistant for Residence Commons and vocal performance
major, agrees late-night dining will benefit residents.
“
I think it’s a good idea, but I would be afraid of a stampede,” Bostick
said. “It’s likely to be really popular, and make a lot of money,
but I don’t think waiting that long for a Starbucks would be worth the
coffee.”
“
It’s not only going to be bigger, but different,” Olin said.
They are trying to have current thinking and modern trends in food service
included in the new dining facility.
There are also going to be different stations where students can get an assortment
of food such Mexican, Asian, bagels, cereal, a salad bar, and deli.
The plans are in the works and must ultimately be passed by the Campus Planning
Committee and approved by the Chancellor’s Office.
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