Duke Evaluates Central Campus Plan

DURHAM, N.C.-As planning discussions take shape, graduate students at Duke University are taking steps to ensure that new plans for the central campus accommodate the growing graduate student population.

Currently, the central campus houses about 1,000 beds, about 200 of which are reserved for graduate and professional students. As the undergraduate population expands by 200 students over the next four years, however, more beds will be needed and graduate students may be denied on-campus housing unless the number of total beds is increased.

Plans call for the connection of the East and West campuses by creating a transportation corridor that can accommodate both pedestrians and bicyclists. The campus will be constructed for higher population density that will allow more square footage without demolishing any existing green spaces.

The general layout of the buildings features a core of apartments as well as a gathering area. A grocery store and some offices will be part of the town center, as well as some space for campus organizations.

When new apartments are constructed, graduate housing would likely be distinct from undergraduate housing. The building committee is also evaluating housing with different price ranges and different levels of amenities, such as laundry facilities and tennis courts.

Duke still has not established how it will pay to develop the central campus project, which will likely cost more than $100 million for the first phase, but leasing apartment buildings for outside companies to rent to graduate students was one option for future growth, officials said.