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Inside Iowa State
July 23, 1999

Hawthorn construction under way

by Anne Dolan
Elevators have been approved and budgeted in each of the 23 apartment buildings, rather than just seven, as originally planned. Residents of the old Hawthorn Court apartments have moved out. The construction fence is up.

And earlier this month, crews began work on the first two apartment buildings in the new Hawthorn Development, the first large component in Iowa State's residence master plan to replace or renovate about 50 percent of its student housing. Hawthorn is bordered by Stange Road on the west, 13th Street (north), Haber Road (east) and railroad tracks and a horse pasture (south).

Nine buildings, providing apartment living for 720 single upperclassmen, will be ready for tenants next July. Another three buildings will be completed by December 2000. And by December 2001, the Hawthorn Development, including a multi-purpose community center, should be finished and home to about 2,000 students. The buildings are clustered into three- and four-building neighborhoods.

"The actual design work began last Sept. 9 and site work began June 8, so a lot of people worked hard on this," said Jim Judy, project manager and assistant director for planning for the residence department. "Something this large doesn't happen that quickly without everyone being on board. The process has been very successful."

Phase I (12 buildings and utility extensions across the site) will cost $30.1 million. Phase 2, the community center and last 11 apartment buildings scheduled to receive construction bids next March, will cost $24.7 million.

One apartment in each of the three-story buildings is handicap-accessible and all apartments can be handicap-adaptable with a few fairly inexpensive modifications, Judy said.

The construction price for Phase 1 is $1 million less than preconstruction estimates. Judy said the unused funds may be used to enhance the facilities in the community center at Hawthorn and to help pay for early consulting work on the next master plan component along Union Drive (involving Friley and Helser halls).

Judy said he has heard some concern about trees being removed from the Hawthorn site.

"Every effort has been made to save trees that aren't affected by a utility or a building," he said. Orange ribbons around tree trunks signal trees that will remain.

Judy said the project plan includes extensive landscaping and green spaces. As Hawthorn Development emerges, it will be a positive north "gate" to the Iowa State campus, he said.

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Revised 07/23/99