Ribbon-Cutting Marks Opening of UM-Dearborn Student Housing

About 150 community members attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the University of Michigan-Dearborn's student housing complex set to open on Sept. 1.

The Union at Dearborn located at 780 Town Center Drive, directly across Evergreen Road from the university campus, will include apartments for more than 500 students. It is the first student housing option for UM-Dearborn students in more than 40 years.

"This has been a project that really demonstrates the tenacity, the partnership and the sense of community with all the people who were involved. Everybody gave to the risk and the belief that the risk would pay off," Mayor John B. O'Reilly, Jr. said.

The $30-million housing complex is owned and operated by Urban Campus Communities. The four-story structure includes 145 fully furnished apartment units ranging from lofts, to two bedroom/two bathroom, three bedroom/three bathroom, and four bedroom/four bathroom designs.

Each apartment comes with free Internet and cable, all utilities paid for, a working kitchen, private bathroom and flat screen TV. Some units come with private washer and dryer units as well.

"The idea is that students can come here and all they need to bring is their suitcase," said Louis Gramer, vice president of Acquisitions and Development at UCC.

In addition to the student apartments, The Union also includes 15,000 square feet of space leased by UM-Dearborn for a student life center called the Victors' Den that will be open to all students. The Victors' Den will provide study areas, meeting rooms, gathering spaces and a performance space known as "The House of Blues."

Students will have access to a half-court indoor basketball gym, workout area with weights and 11 machines, business center with access to printing and computers, and large and small study rooms.

Stanley Henderson, vice chancellor for enrollment at the university, said the Victors' Den will serve to augment the services provided at UM-Dearborn's University Center and will also house the Office for International Programs, as well as offices for social services.

"We may have 500 students living in The Union, but we're a campus of 9,000. Programming at the Victors Den will be available to all students," he said.

The complex gives the university the ability to recruit students from outside of metro Detroit and has already contributed to a boost in the university’s enrollment, according to Daniel Little, chancellor of UM-Dearborn.

Little said the university has already been contacted by prospective international and out-of-state students who decided to enroll for the fall semester due to the availability of housing.

"I would not be surprised if there was activities going on at the Victors' Den 23 hours a day," Little said. "This is a place where we expect to see a lot of student engagement. We're excited to give all of our students the chance to really enjoy the college experience."

Gramer said that the Victors' Den will be open to all students, however locked security doors leading to and from the student housing section will require key fob access for privacy. The building also provides security cameras at all access points, management staff during normal business hours, and contracted security guards at night.

Other safety features include a university shuttle transporting students to campus, and a crosswalk with a pedestrian-activated traffic light on Evergreen Road near the campus’ central entrance.

"Safety is our primary concern for students," Little said. "The traffic light on Evergreen will assure that students can get safely to and from their classes on campus."

Wedad Ibrahim, UM-Dearborn Student Government president, said excitement for the new complex has been building among new and returning students even before Wednesday's ribbon cutting ceremony.

"The majority of students will continue to commute to campus, but The Union and Victors' Den will bring a breath of fresh air to what we know as student life," Ibrahim said. "I fully believe students will continue their growth as agents of change on this campus while living at The Union. We now have a home on campus, where students will be able to hang out with friends, do homework and experience life as a college student."

Gramer said the student apartments are 75 percent to capacity as of Aug. 21. The target move-in date is Sept. 1, with classes beginning on Sept. 4.

To apply for housing, visit http://www.umd.umich.edu/housing.