The upcoming 2013-2014 academic year will provide Longwood University students with new housing choices, as the construction of Lancer Park North and South, as well as Walk2Campus’ Campus Walk apartments, is well underway.
The Campus Walk project was set in motion approximately one year ago. Michelle Donnelly, Farmville property manager for Walk2Campus Properties, said the new Campus Walk apartments are similar to apartments that Walk2Campus offers in its other markets like Rock Hill, S.C., Conway, S.C. and Bowling Green, K.Y.
Unlike other Walk2Campus properties in Farmville, the Campus Walk apartments will be fully furnished with a bed, nightstand, dresser, desk and chair in each bedroom and a couch, coffee table and entertainment stand in the living rooms.
Students can choose between two and four bedroom units. The building will house 120 beds across 36 apartments.
Donnelly said the first floor of the new Campus Walk building is set to be the future home of the Longwood Center for Communication, Literacy and Learning, as well as the Small Business Development Center and the Longwood Real Estate Foundation.
The Small Business Development Center and Longwood Real Estate Foundation are both currently located on Main Street and the Longwood Center for Communication, Literacy and Learning is located at the corner of Third Street and Main Street. The remaining three floors of the building will be dedicated to the apartments.
Regarding the architecture style of the building, Donnelly said, “It’s going in line with the traditional downtown Farmville buildings. We didn’t want to stand out from downtown.”
The Campus Walk building is set to open July 1 of this year with tenants moving in August 1.
According to Jennifer Cox, associate director of off campus living, the Lancer Park North and South project was conceived approximately three years ago.
“I think the students will be very happy with them,” Cox said. ”We spent a lot of time over the past few years looking at what students are looking for and what they’re interested in and doing our best to provide those features.”
Cox said the Lancer Park North and South buildings will have a “similar feel” to the Longwood Landings in that residents will access the building with their student ID cards.
With the new addition of the Lancer Park North and South buildings, the population at Lancer Park will jump from around 200 students to 700.
Cox said that staffing the new facilities is the next issue to be tackled with this project before it opens. “We are still working though what our structure will look like,” Cox said. “We will be working on it over the summer.” In addition to the North and South buildings, a large clubhouse will be added to Lancer Park. The clubhouse will feature an open atrium area with seating and a gym with brand new equipment.
According to Cox, there are also plans to add volleyball and basketball courts back to Lancer Park, as the previous courts were lost when construction on the new buildings began. Additional lighting and emergency blue boxes will be added to the area as well.
Cox also said that there will be an Aramark food facility at the new Lancer Park location. However, the university and Aramark are still discussing which franchise will be placed at Lancer Park.
The new Lancer Park North and South buildings are set to be open for the beginning of the fall 2013 semester.
More information about Longwood University sponsored housing can be found at the Residential and Commuter Life web page. Information about Campus Walk can be accessed at walk2campus. com, the Walk2Campus website.
The new addtions to the Lancer Park is set to open in the fall of 2013.
The new addtions to the Lancer Park is set to open in the fall of 2013.
Walk2Campus plans to open August 1, 2013.
