The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 1 - 51

Student Housing Growth

The most prevalent theme to emerge during the interviews was the ability of an institution to honor the existing sense of community during any type of building or expansion process. The majority of respondents indicated that their greatest fear in any institutional expansion process was the potential for a new project to disrupt or decimate the existing community .

desire for new facilities and buildings, they believe expansion could be avoided if an institution were to maximize what is already in place. One community member aptly stated, Do I think the buildings are crowded? Probably so. But I don’t think a crowded dorm is the reason to justify a new building. Because I bet there are some spaces in other dorms. If you’ve got no space, that’s one thing. If you don’t have space where you want it—well, that doesn’t work for me. Most respondents indicated that in order for a community to even consider institutional expansion, they wanted to see data that supported not just the desire but also the need for facility growth. Essentially, the participants are displaying some measure of concern over whether an institution is truly honest about its need for a new structure. In addition to concerns about an institution’s need for new structures, community leaders are concerned that urban institutions are not making the most efficient use of the space they already own. One participant remarked, I get wanting to preserve the space on campus, I really do. But at what expense? Should people have to move away just so a student has more green space to walk across? I have to tell you, that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Many respondents suggested that they don’t believe institutions take a hard enough look at whether or not new buildings can be accommodated on existing spaces. The final theme to emerge from participant interviews was the need for a process that institutions should follow to move the community and the institution towards a potential resoluV o l u m e 3 7 , No. 1 • 2 0 1 0

lasting impact. An example of their concern is expressed in the following statement: ...because if you build a dorm in my neighborhood, people are going to park on my street, in front of my house. For whatever reason, either because it’s closer than the college’s lots or because they don’t want to pay for the college’s permit ...it doesn’t really matter. They will be in front of my house, and I’ll be lucky to pull into my own driveway. I’ve seen it before. Respondents were concerned about many aspects of their lives being changed by expansion, but parking was the one they believed would affect them almost daily. The second central theme to emerge from the interviews was whether there is an actual need for institutional expansion. Many respondents indicated that while they understand the

The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 1

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