There were some pleasant results when UNMC planners worked with the neighborhood association in designing a new 60-unit student apartment complex.
After consulting with Blackstone Neighborhood Association members, architects came up with a better building design for the units near 38th Avenue and Jones Street and the neighbors are much happier.
Del Lee, UNMC associate vice chancellor for business and finance, and Ron Tietgen, manager of architectural services, unveiled the final plan in early December at a meeting with six Blackstone association board members. The $4.8 million project will be paid for by revenue bonds.
What started as a single three-story structure is now two separate buildings with entrances on the east as well as the west. A prairie style of architecture, which blends with rather than stands out against the landscape, will be used, Lee said.
Exterior finishes will include a band of brick topped by a band of hardyplank, a cement-based material that will look like stucco when it is painted. The roof will be of asphalt shingles.
Trellises and an interior courtyard will tie the two buildings together, Lee said.
The board members liked the design and the materials, but not the colors. They suggested brown brick rather than red, and a darker shade for the upper band.
Lee said the colors aren’t set in stone. These final decisions will be coordinated with the neighborhood association.
UNMC is on schedule to have at least one of the buildings ready for occupancy this fall.
The new complex — the first apartment building UNMC has ever built on its campus — will contain 60 rental units, each with high-speed Internet access, a washer/dryer, dishwasher and other modern amenities, said Keith Swarts of UNMC’s Business & Finance office. A mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments will be available.
Business and Finance has started a waiting list for students interested in renting a unit in the new building. Contact Esther Collins at 559-5201 if you are interested in adding your name to the waiting list.