Charles River Apartments will be renovated
by Brian Fromm
Editor in Chief
News | 3/2/10
Posted online at 3:45 AM EST on 3/2/10
The Board of Trustees approved a major renovation project, which will include replacing kitchen appliances and installing more interior lighting and a new fire-protection sprinkler system as well as performing general repairs and refurbishments, for the Charles River Apartments at the Board's Feb. 10 meeting, according to an article published the following day on the BrandeisNOW Web site.
Construction on the four six-story buildings is planned to begin in late May and should be completed in time for the start of the fall 2010 semester, Vice President for Campus Operations Mark Collins said in an interview with the Justice. Students also toured a renovated sample apartment at an open house last week.
The project is expected to cost about $9 million, according to the BrandeisNOW article. The University recently issued $178 million in bonds, of which about $160 million will be used to refinance old bonds taken out to finance University capital projects. The remainder will be used to reimburse Brandeis for previous capital expenses, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Apfel. "Now we are going to take $9 million of that and we are going to use it for [the renovation of] Charles River," Apfel said. "We are going to fund it from our own money, but it's money that's being made available by the fact that we've replenished our checking account ... by virtue of the $18 million chunk of this bond issue."
Director of Community Living for Juniors and Seniors Erika Lamarre explained in an e-mail to the Justice that only about 250 of Charles River's 351 beds are currently filled. "Students have opted not to live in Charles River because it didn't seem like an attractive option to them," she wrote.
Collins and Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer both shared Lamarre's opinion. Sawyer said in an interview with the Justice that renovating Charles River "doesn't change the number of beds. What it does, in our opinion, … is put Charles River back on the list of options for students when they go through room selection. ... It will become relevant again."
Construction on the four six-story buildings is planned to begin in late May and should be completed in time for the start of the fall 2010 semester, Vice President for Campus Operations Mark Collins said in an interview with the Justice. Students also toured a renovated sample apartment at an open house last week.
The project is expected to cost about $9 million, according to the BrandeisNOW article. The University recently issued $178 million in bonds, of which about $160 million will be used to refinance old bonds taken out to finance University capital projects. The remainder will be used to reimburse Brandeis for previous capital expenses, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Apfel. "Now we are going to take $9 million of that and we are going to use it for [the renovation of] Charles River," Apfel said. "We are going to fund it from our own money, but it's money that's being made available by the fact that we've replenished our checking account ... by virtue of the $18 million chunk of this bond issue."
Director of Community Living for Juniors and Seniors Erika Lamarre explained in an e-mail to the Justice that only about 250 of Charles River's 351 beds are currently filled. "Students have opted not to live in Charles River because it didn't seem like an attractive option to them," she wrote.
Collins and Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer both shared Lamarre's opinion. Sawyer said in an interview with the Justice that renovating Charles River "doesn't change the number of beds. What it does, in our opinion, … is put Charles River back on the list of options for students when they go through room selection. ... It will become relevant again."
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