09/12/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/12/2024 13:30
Lawrence University at Fox Commons made its much-anticipated debut on Thursday as a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of the first phase of this exciting partnership-23 apartments that will house 86 Lawrence students beginning this weekend.
President Laurie A. Carter, Vice President for Student Life Chris Clarke, and Lawrence senior Mattigan Haller spoke to members of the media, Lawrence officials, project partners, area dignitaries, and students who gathered in the second-floor atrium and toured one of the student apartments.
"This is truly a wonderful day for Lawrence, the City of Appleton, the downtown community, and our numerous partners with Fox Commons," Carter said. "This is the opening of an exciting extension of the Lawrence campus into the heart of the downtown."
Lawrence is a tenant in the ongoing redevelopment of City Center Plaza, known as Fox Commons. The university signed a long-term lease with developer Dark Horse Development. The Lawrence spaces will include suite-style apartments for 174 students-86 this year and an additional 88 next year-and adjoining co-curricular spaces to support Lawrence academics, career exploration, and community collaborations.
Carter called the co-curricular spaces-a Business and Entrepreneurship Center and a Pre-Health Commons-important "connecting points" for students to engage in collaborative work with professionals in business and health and wellness fields.
"These spaces are being developed to support Lawrence's academics and the important work of our Career Center," she said.
Thursday's unveiling of the apartments on the second floor-a mix of three- and four-bedroom units-is step one in the opening of Lawrence spaces in the multi-use development. The Business and Entrepreneurship Center, also on the second floor, will open in October. The third floor, featuring 26 apartments and the Pre-Health Commons, will open in summer of 2025.
While the Fox Commons apartments will be an extension of campus, with students still connected to the meal plan and other amenities, this will mark the first time Lawrence students will live off the main campus.
"Students at Lawrence have been wanting this for a long time," said Mattigan Haller, a senior from Eau Claire who helped guide the planning as a member of the President's Advisory Council and will be one of the inaugural residents. "While we love the residence halls on campus, many of us are ready for apartment living by the time we get to be juniors and seniors. Fox Commons offers us the best of both worlds. We're living in apartments in downtown Appleton while still being closely connected to campus."
In the apartments, each student will have their own furnished bedroom. They will share a furnished common area and kitchen with their roommates. Each apartment will have natural light exposure through an exterior window or skylight.
"It's a special day for us at Lawrence when we can open new housing options for students," Clarke said. "It has been an incredible process that has moved at a quick pace, and all of us across the university are excited for what Fox Commons means to our community and the Appleton community. While still being part of the Lawrence campus, our juniors and seniors now have the opportunity to live in these beautiful downtown apartments, giving them more independence and the chance to experience apartment living similar to what awaits after they graduate."
Clarke called it a "natural progression" of Lawrence's residential philosophy.
"Lawrence is and remains a residential campus," he said. "That doesn't change. But Fox Commons adds new housing flexibility for our upper-year students."
Carter said the partnerships built into the Fox Commons project will strengthen both Lawrence and downtown Appleton.
"Partnerships are at the center of it all," she said. "Not only will our students be part of the vibrant and growing residential community in downtown Appleton, they will have opportunities to collaborate with business and health care organizations that are also investing in Fox Commons. We are excited to soon welcome our neighbors and partners-Mosaic Family Health, Prevea Health, and Gener8tor, among others."
The opportunities for mentoring, collaborative programming, and guest lectures will enhance the experience for students.
"This is Lawrence being intentional about building partnerships in the community and exploring ways those partnerships can benefit students as we build paths toward deeper career discernment and career exploration on the way to graduation," Carter said.
Carter applauded Dark Horse Development and Boldt Holdings for their vision on Fox Commons, and she thanked Findorff Construction for its work in keeping the project on schedule so Lawrence students can move in before the start of classes on Monday.
"They have been wonderful, thoughtful partners since this project was launched last summer," Carter said. "We look forward to more collaboration as we prepare for the opening of the Business and Entrepreneurship Center this October and the third-floor apartments and Pre-Health Commons next summer."
Here are additional details of the Lawrence spaces at Fox Commons: