Grant MacEwan College is calling it a 'suite' success.

A new $41-million, 13-storey, suite-style residence will become the largest single-building student residence in Western Canada when it opens its doors in Edmonton's downtown core in the summer of 2005.

More importantly, MacEwan officials point out that it will allow almost 900 students to live in residence at an affordable cost while leaving the worries of their housing needs behind.

"We want to make sure our students can concentrate on academic success and personal growth while they are here," says Brenda Andreassen, MacEwan's director of retail and campus services. "We're trying to give the students what they'll need." All suites will come with an equipped kitchen consisting of a fridge, microwave, two cook-top burners, dining table and chairs. All bedrooms are lockable and include a double bed, desk, chair and closet organizer, while bathrooms in the building's largest units - quads holding four students - will be limited to a maximum of two users by incorporating two bathrooms into these suites.

Images courtesy of Grant MacEwan College
Student residence under construction, above, will be the largest in the West when finished, below left.

But the conveniences won't stop there, said residence manager Bob Pritchett. The suites will also be outfitted with a phone line, high-speed Internet connection, a basic satellite television connection comprised of 14 channels - local TV stations, Canadian national networks and the main American conventional network broadcasters - and utilities will be taken care of. "All that is included as part of the (residence) fee, it's not at an additional cost," said Pritchett.

In addition, there is 24/7 security coverage and the front desk will be continuously staffed.

Bearing in mind that their target market is students, Andreassen and Pritchett said the college is trying its hardest to keep rents reasonable.

Bachelor suites are tentatively priced at $625 a month, doubles at $525 and quads at $495. Students, however, will have to pay their entire term's rent up front, as opposed to a monthly basis.

While residence applications are now being accepted for the 2005-06 school year, priority will be given to full-time MacEwan students, followed by part-time MacEwan attendees and, if space is available, full-time students of other Alberta Learning post-secondary institutions may be accommodated.

Designed by Kasian Kennedy Architecture Interior Design and Planning as a striking landmark for both the college and the city of Edmonton, the residence is shaped somewhat like the capital letter L but with an extra wing at the top end.

The main lengthwise section rises 13 floors and is flanked by two nine-floor wings, one on the east and one on the west.

Located off 104 Avenue but set back from the street by about a block from the main artery, and just west of 109 Street, the new building is adjacent to MacEwan's City Centre campus. The residence uses a split face concrete block in three colours to give it an urban brick-like finish that is complemented by glass and steel.

"This is definitely not your parents' student residence," said Andreassen, who emphasized its modern look and feel.

There will be 67 single units, 358 doubles, 25 quads, 13 barrier-free suites and nine guest rooms available throughout the year for parents or visiting professors. None of the suites will have a balcony.

Construction is approximately two weeks ahead of schedule, said Andreassen, and the opening date has been pushed forward to Aug. 1. Preliminary work on the project actually began in 2002, and construction started last February.

"The external structure is all in place, allowing for work to be done during the winter," said Andreassen, noting while the building looks almost completed, it is primarily the shell and basic structure in place.

Even though the residence is still in the construction stage, it has already drawn international attention, said college spokesman David Beharry. Indonesian officials toured the site in early October as part of a fact-finding trip to Vancouver and Alberta for a residence they're building. "When they found out about our student residence, they wanted to see the planning process from the inside out. It was the only one (student residence) that they could see in progress." The building will help the college by allowing students from outside the Greater Edmonton area to take advantage of its course offerings, says Beharry, and it will also contribute to the revitalization of Edmonton's downtown by adding 900 people to the area.

MacEwan serves approximately 42,000 students on four Edmonton campuses, providing more than 70 university transfer, applied bachelor's degree and diploma programs.

(Laura Severs can be reached at laura@businessedge.ca)