Pleasant Grove Apartments, the 90-unit graduate student housing complex on North Campus, will be closed in August 1998, university officials announced this week.
The Department of Campus Life and the Graduate and Professional Student Housing Program will offer current residents of the complex help in locating new housing on campus and will provide moving assistance where needed, said Philip McPheron, director of graduate and professional student housing. McPheron said 33 apartments are occupied out of 68 available at present.
Campus Life will provide financial help for residents to relocate to other campus apartment complexes, such as Hasbrouck and Maplewood apartments, through a special transition rate schedule, McPheron said. In addition, help will be available as needed for some other fees associated with the move, such as transfer of television cable and telephone service.
"Although Pleasant Grove rental rates are lower than other university apartments, we have created a special rate schedule to help make the transition easier for the move to Hasbrouck or Maplewood Apartments," McPheron explained.
Residents were informed of the decision to close the Pleasant Grove complex in a letter earlier this week. They were told they will be invited to individual meetings with representatives of Campus Life to discuss their housing options. They also have the option of calling 255-7290 starting Monday, Nov. 10, to set up an appointment.
McPheron said Campus Life has considered closing Pleasant Grove each of the past several years, due to its deteriorating condition.
"The factors which now make this a necessity include the increasing need for plumbing, heating, life safety and roofing system replacements, as well as general refurbishing of the physical structures," he said. "Since this kind of construction is not cost effective, we will not continue occupancy past this year."