Wall & Grand Apartments ceremony Thursday

University officials will break ground Thursday, Oct. 13, on the first new housing construction on campus in 37 years.

Chancellor Walter V. Wendler will be among the officials participating in the 2 p.m. ceremony for the 147,000-square-foot Wall & Grand Apartments on the northwest corner of Wall Street and Grand Avenue. The complex is going up just east of the nearly completed Student Health Programs facility, which is adjacent to the Student Recreation Center.

An ambitious construction schedule shows students moving into the apartments next August. Williams Brothers Construction of Peoria is the general contractor.

The complex will house 400 freshmen age 21 and older, sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students. Fully furnished two- and four-bedroom units will offer two bathrooms, washer and dryer, fully functional kitchen and either a balcony or patio. Plans also call for a large lounge area, convenience store and outside terrace.

University Housing already has more than 400 applications for the apartments, and will continue accepting applications until Oct. 21. University Housing will conduct a lottery to select tenants for the complex.

The 100-unit complex is part of the 2004 SIUC Housing Master Plan, which projects the University's housing needs over 15 years. Student input gathered for the plan indicated the need for more apartment-style units.