The expansion continues.
Last week, Saint Louis University signed an agreement to purchase Grand Forest Apartments. Students will begin to occupy the apartments as early as the fall.
The apartment complex, built in 1963, houses 132 two-bedroom units and parking for approximately 170 vehicles. It is located on Laclede Avenue next to Marchetti Towers.
“We’re very pleased to be offering this new housing option to our upperclass students,” stated University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., in an e-mail announcing the purchase.
Kathleen Brady, vice president for facilities management and civic affairs, explained that SLU had approached the owners of Grand Forest several years ago, but at that time, the owners were not interested. She said that Biondi encouraged her to reapproach them in February. At that time, they expressed an interest in selling.
“Since the construction of the Student Village and the increasing preference among our student body for more independent living quarters, SLU’s administration has been seeking additional apartment-style housing for our upper-class men and women,” Biondi stated.
After receiving approval from the Board of Trustees in March, the final agreements were finalized. The University will take possession of the complex at closing on June 8.
“All our dealings were very professional and amicable,” said George Steffen, president of Apartment Exchange, the property manager for Grand Forest. He added, “Both parties worked toward mutual benefits.”
The purchase price will not be released until after the closing of the sale.
Grand Forest Apartments was sought by the University because of its diverse population, composed of SLU students, faculty and staff, but also many residents not associated with the University, said Brady.
By law, all current leases will be honored, said Steffen.
However, leases that expire after May will not be renewed. This will allow a number of apartments to open up over the summer.
“We’re going to work with SLU to make sure it’s a very smooth transition for all involved,” Steffen said.
While the exact number of apartments opening to SLU students for the Fall 2001 semester is unknown, all apartments are expected to be available for housing in the Fall 2002 semester.
“We bought it with the intention of student housing for as long as there is demand,” Brady said. “It offers the type of additional housing that students have indicated they want.”
According to Brady, the complex will be renovated unit by unit.
She said that SLU maintenance workers walked through every unit to determine the condition.
“The complex has been very well maintained,” Brady said.
Humphrey explained how Residence Life would handle the transition.
She encouraged any student interested in living in the complex to contact Residence Life during the middle of next week, once most of the policies and pricing are finalized.
The first housing priority, according to Humphrey, will be given to the undergraduate population.
She pointed out that more students are returning to University housing than ever before. However, should the need be met, graduate living will be considered, she added.
The apartments will be priced at approximately the same as Marchetti apartments. Students will have to pay utilities, cable and phone, but that price is considered when determining a pricing scheme equivalent to Marchetti.
In addition, for at least next year, the apartments will be unfurnished, since there is not enough lead time to order furniture.
Humphrey is not sure if they will be furnished in the future.
All housing scholarships will apply to the apartments.
Humphrey said that there will be some triples, and that many already exist. She also said that if students chose to live in a quad, then it could be considered.
One bedroom is larger than the other, which accommodates three people to an apartment, easily.
According to Brady, parking around the complex will likely be given its own hangtag for next year, to guarantee parking to those residents with leases that have not expired prior to SLU’s acquisition.
