By Alyssa Pflug
Out of the 12,800 registered students that attend Youngstown State University, only about 10 percent of them stay in university sanctioned housing.
Kate Fitzgerald, director of Housing and Residence Life, said that while enrollment is at an all-time high, housing is able to accommodate any student that requests housing and have never turned students away.
“This may mean temporarily expanding occupancy — rooms that are usually double will temporarily convert to triples and rooms that are usually triple may become quads,” Fitzgerald said. “We would also look at converting study lounge spaces to student rooms.”
YSU has both campus-owned and campus-affiliated housing, which means the properties are not officially property of the university. According to Fitzgerald, the Kilcawley, Wick, Weller, Lyden and Cafaro buildings are all residence halls owned by YSU while the Flats at Wick, Buchner Hall and University Edge are privately owned. YSU also owns but does not manage University Courtyard apartments.
Fitzgerald mentioned that as of the Friday following move-in weekend, there were 1,278 students in campus housing, including the students staying in the Courtyard apartments.
Eddie Howard, associate vice president in the Division of Student Experience, said the goal for University Edge was to have it open by fall 2016.
“I think we met that goal; there are a couple things we’re still trying to finish up on the outside of the facility but in regards to the student moving in on the day we agreed, then I think we met our deadline,” Howard stated.
As far as University Edge being unfinished, Howard stated that Phase 1 (building one) is complete, minus the outside courtyard that will begin being finished as Phase 2 (building two) is being worked on.
Howard said that more housing is planned for the future. Phase 2 of University Edge will include 220 beds adjacent to Phase 1, a clubhouse in the middle and a lot more amenities.
“That stuff will be rolling out pretty soon; the university and University Edge are going to be rolling out what Phase 2 will look like,” Howard said.
By fall of 2017, there is a plan for Phase 2 of University Edge to be complete along with another housing project being in the works. There is also the potential of a stand-alone bookstore near University Edge.
The Wick project, a housing development planned for near the corner of Wick and Lincoln, is still in the talks.
“There is still some discussion along those lines … that particular project was also still in the works, we made some adjustments … we are still working on the details of making that happen,” Howard said.
Howard said there is more to come in terms of housing, and the housing board said that it is just a matter of time before things are lined up.
Renee Linsenmann, an employee of the University Edge leasing office, said that Edge is starting to accept applications to lease for the 2017-18 school year. There is currently no wait list to live at the new housing developments.
