On Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. at Turner Construction Co.’s University Center of Chicago office, 33 E. Congress, 2nd Floor, the Educational Advancement Fund (EAF) will hold a student press conference to update student media from Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University and Roosevelt University on the progress made on the University Center of Chicago project over the summer.

Representatives from U.S. Equities Student Housing, the project’s property manager, as well as EAF and Turner Construction Co. will be on hand to answer student questions. After the press conference, students will have an opportunity to view two fully furnished model rooms.

The three Chicago schools formed a not-for-profit corporation called the Educational Advancement Fund to develop University Center, an 18-story, multi-use building, bound by State Street, Congress Parkway, Harrison Street and Holden Court (between State Street and Wabash Avenue). Upon completion in the summer of 2004, the $151 million University Center will be the nation’s largest joint student residence hall. The center will house 1,680 students and 43 staff, supplying much-needed student housing in the South Loop.

“The University Center of Chicago will provide a unique student living experience found nowhere else in the country,” says Ken McHugh, president of the EAF.

“The University Center of Chicago will be a mutually interdependent community for Columbia, DePaul and Roosevelt students of all ages,” remarked co-project executive Bill Vail, who, with Eric Luskin, was subcontracted by U.S. Equities to manage the facility. “Residents will benefit from their interactions with an expanded peer group and the surrounding urban community, and the collective environment will dramatically enhance the educational value of their collegiate experience.”

There will be five styles of student suites and apartments. Although students will be billed by academic term on their accounts like other campus housing, the equivalent monthly prices will range from an estimated $703 to $1,108 per month. According to a collaborative agreement among the three schools, students from Columbia and DePaul each will have 40 percent of available beds, while Roosevelt students will occupy 20 percent of bed space.

Housing options will be available for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Student residences will be located on floors three and above. Each of these floors will be divided into two separate “communities.” Units on the north side of the building will consist of two two-student bedrooms, each pair connected to a shared bathroom. The area also will contain study lounges and meeting areas.

On the south side of the building, there will be a combination of two-bedroom/four-student apartments and four-bedroom/four-student apartments. Each of the apartments will include a dining room, living room, kitchen and two bathrooms. A quiet study room is also located on each floor.

The first floor will offer 31,000 square feet of retail space fronting on State Street. A 30,000 square-foot food service facility will be located on the second floor, which also will contain other student amenities, including lounges, multimedia rooms, game rooms, laundries, conference rooms, music practice rooms, a fitness center, art rooms and staff offices. In addition to student living quarters, the third floor will provide access to a 20,000 square-foot landscaped roof garden.

DePaul students seeking more information about living at UCC should call Student Housing at 773/325-7196 or visit the UCC Web site: www.depaul.edu/ucc/

Editor’s Note: The press conference is primarily for student journalists from DePaul University, Roosevelt University and Columbia College Chicago. Student reporters who want to attend should contact one of the following people: