• Marquette is planning to construct a new engineering building in May 2009
• Residents of the apartment will be able to lease until May 2009
• The university is working on staying in communication with residents on its plans
• There is adequate housing for the current student capacity

In May 2009 the face of Marquette's campus will undergo a major change with the construction of a new engineering building on North 17th Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Just one problem. Sitting on the proposed site for this new building are three student apartment buildings.

Marquette purchased the Trebor, 620 N. 17th St., in August and the Kalt, 1621 and 1623 W. Wisconsin Ave., in December of 2007 with the intention of clearing both buildings once the university raised adequate funds for the new building, according to James McMahon, assistant vice president and dean of Residence Life. Plans for the new engineering building also involve tearing down the Carmel apartment building, 610 N. 17th St, which Marquette owns.

Stephanie Perry, a graduate student in the College of Education and manager of the Trebor apartment buildings, said she was told in August of last year that the proposed date for construction was in one to three years. She said she was informed in December that the work for the new building would begin in May 2009.

"When we didn't know the date, it got a couple people stressed about looking for places to live," she said. "Once we found out the date everybody pretty much calmed down."

Andy White, a graduate student in the College of Business and a resident of the Trebor apartments, said when he first heard the plans for the building to be torn down he was concerned about how the construction would affect him.

"I moved into the apartments in August and two or three weeks later I got a notice saying the building was going to be shut down," he said. "I was worried my lease was going to be cut, even though it went through the following August."

All current leases are being honored and students will be able to live in the buildings through graduation of 2009, said Stacie Dooley, associate dean of residence life for university apartments and off-campus student services.

McMahon said the university is making an effort to keep the student residents of the buildings informed of the plans for construction. The apartments' management have sent letters informing the students of future plans for the buildings and have also held meetings to explain in person what will eventually be taking place.

According to McMahon, the university does not have any current plans to build new student housing to replace the apartments that will be torn down.

"Right now our apartment stock is appropriate for the number of students seeking housing," he said. "Between the new neighborhoods off campus and the university apartments, we really have no need for new housing."

McMahon also said the construction of the new engineering building should not directly affect many of the buildings' current residents.

"Many of the students living in the buildings will have graduated by the time construction begins," McMahon said. "If not, they will have plenty of opportunity to find housing and we will have people that can help direct them to places that meet their needs."