GTA Construction Report staff writer
Brock University in St. Catharines has started constructing a seventh campus residence to support its seven academic facilities and growing 18,000-plus full and part-time student population.
Located at the corner of St. David and Norman Roads and directly across from the campus, the residence has been designed by Quartek Group Inc. and is being constructed by Merit Contractors. Both companies have been involved with previous university projects.
The suite-style units are intended to house 86 upper year, graduate and international students.
Jamie Fleming, director of residences for Brock, has been quoted as saying the move addresses the changing make-up of the student population, and the fact that the university’s current residences are occupied primarily by first-year students who then move off campus in subsequent years. These new suites will allow some to stay under the university umbrella.
The furnished suites will accommodate three or four bedrooms and include appliances.
Fleming says the university endeavours to build to LEED Silver certification through energy conservation and advanced systems and equipment and this residence will follow that model.
Brock will lease the building from the same private developer who owns another of the university’s residences, which is adjacent to the new project and opened in 2003. The Quarry View residence consists of 80 stacked townhouse units and houses 290 students in a mix of three and four bedroom apartments.
Fleming said leasing space is an option open to universities and, given the proximity of the property and the existing relationship with the developer, an additional residence made sense.
The Gateway Suites residence is expected to open in time for students arriving in the fall of 2015.
