New housing projects planned for future Seahawks
Casey McAnarney | The Seahawk
Galloway Hall was named for Edmond Galloway, a freshman who died in 1974 when he fell off of a bicycle and sustained a head injury. April 1975, was formally named for him.
UPDATE: This article has been updated from its previous format to include new developments, including final recommendations made in regards to UNCW Housing and an update to The Hamilton project off campus. More updates will be made available as they come and this article will be updated accordingly.
Over the next five years, additional construction on and around UNC Wilmington’s campus is expected to take place. The simple answer as to why? Housing.
With the enrollment sizes at UNCW increasing by the year, the university and local construction firms have seen a growing market for young adults seeking a place to call home for their time at the university.
Originally called “Dorm ’71,” Galloway Hall was the first residence facility on UNCW’s campus and holds 400 students.
In April 2017, UNCW released their “Housing Master Plan,” provided in part by Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc. The plan details the expansion of housing on campus with the addition of five new residence halls.
The Seahawk previously reported on the plans detailed in this master plan, however updates have been made.
“As an update, this plan was close but not the final recommendation made by our consulting team (Brailsford and Dunleavy),” said Peter Groenendyk, Director of Housing and Residence Life and UNCW.
“Ultimately, the University receives their recommendations and we have to decide to accept them, reject them or modify them. I can tell you that the final plan was similar to the BOT proposal but did continue to evolve.”
He continued, “The University further modified the plan and we are currently in an active RFP process for the development and delivery of new housing assets. Because we are in an active RFP there is very little I can disclose but I am happy to make some observations that are generally known.”
The University Apartments, which are scheduled for removal, hold up to 400 students.
These observations include 1800 new beds by Fall of 2021 or 2022, after that time, no additional assets are planned.
“I can also share that it is our intention to remove the University Apartments and create a new and engaging residential quad. The decision regarding Galloway will be made closer to the Fall of 2021 and will be driven largely by demand,” Groenendyk said.
“Obviously we have predicted demand based on planned enrollment growth and we believe the current plan for new housing will be sufficient to meet demand. UNCW has a strong history of enrollment growth which is why I am going to recommend that the decision regarding Galloway be pushed to a later date.”
New residence halls have mostly positive opinions from students around campus.
“Students deserve to have new and improved residence halls. Your environment reflects who you are and how you function. If your living condition is not the best, it could really affect you academically,” said Selena Ngo, a sophomore at UNCW.
Meanwhile, the off-campus housing planned as “The Hamilton” has run into problems, as the developers have been unable to secure the property, according to sources. It was previously reported that the new student housing complex was shooting for 2019 at the old Kmart lot on South College Road.
New updates on both housing projects will be made available as they come.
The original plan for The Hamilton is below:
The old Kmart building at 819 South College Road near UNCW’s campus is expected to be repurposed into student housing by a local developer, GHK Cape Fear Development, partnering with Capstone Collegiate Communities out of Birmingham, Alabama.
Capstone has also developed The Cottages of Boone in Boone and Valentine Commons in Raleigh.
Eight hundred and ninety-nine new student beds in one, two and four bedroom apartments will be expected in the new student housing complex, named The Hamilton.
Documents displaying the plans show for three new buildings. Two of which will have four stories of living space. The third will contain a first floor of retail space and the subsequent three floors entirely residential.
Two parking garages and surface parking lots are planned as well, for a total of nearly 1,000 parking spaces. Two swimming pools will be included as well.
Named after Thomas Tristram Hamilton Jr., the first president of Wilmington College, later UNCW in 1969, The Hamilton is being developed due to strong growth at UNCW and surrounding areas.
Benefits of construction of The Hamilton would be easier and closer access to UNCW without crossing College Road. Easing the demand for housing could be another future benefit, as the student population continues to grow.
“I think that Wilmington students will have a greater variety of housing other than on-campus that still offers the location and proximity of on-campus housing,” said Jimmy Chen, a third-year finance major at UNCW.
He continued, “with the surge in supply, I believe that there will be less demand on the current market which in turn will lead to better overall value for students. I think Wilmington can handle the additional housing, however, they [housing developers] should not continue at the current rate because the market here can easily become oversaturated and have apartments with vacancies.”
The target completion date of the first phase of The Hamilton project is August 2019.
The Hamilton design plans can be found in PDF format here.
Tyler Newman can be found on Twitter @tnewman39.
Rusty Walker • Mar 18, 2018 at 4:12 pm
Lived there before it had a name. In fact I was on the naming committee. For 3 years, beginning in the fall of 1973, friendships and bonds were created that have lasted until today. We became very close, and felt like a family, although it was a very large family. I felt like I had 399 brothers and sisters. Save me a brick.
Caleb • Mar 14, 2018 at 10:21 pm
I think we also need to start focusing on an additional library. Apparently the library is struggling with overcrowding and is trying to help this over crowding in ways that cannot solve the problem. A second library would help remove this over crowding issue!
Stephen • Mar 13, 2018 at 3:46 pm
I lived in Galloway for 3 summer sessions and one fall session. G3! I will never forget some of the best memories in my life happened there. I truly believe they should never tear down the original dorm, but I understand #progress. UNCW is no longer a commuter school, so that is awesome! Either way, please at least give it recognizition somehow!
Tom Pearman • Mar 13, 2018 at 1:15 pm
Hate to see the the old dorm go but progress must happen. So many fond memories in Galloway and Campus Apts. I lived in both. How about stamping and selling the old bricksgrom Galloway as a fundraiser. It would be a cool piece of history to share with old stories.
claire primrose • Mar 13, 2018 at 10:34 am
I hate to see Galloway destroyed also. I also wonder if $179,000,000 for 1,215 beds is the best use of funds.
David Cignotti • Mar 13, 2018 at 10:32 am
I agree with Greta Lint. It would be a shame for the university’s first dormitory to be demolished. I lived on the 3rd floor, corner room (we thought we had it made as the corner rooms are larger!) during my freshman year in 1974. Galloway is an important part of UNCW’s past. Growth will only benefit UNCW in the long run if it is well planned and does not come at the expense of the university’s history. As a local who earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees at UNCW I hope this decision will be reconsidered. We can grow and still preserve UNCW”s historic buildings for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. Go Seahawks!
Martha Norman • Mar 13, 2018 at 10:09 am
I lived in Galloway my freshman year from 78-79. Over the next 3 years (and 1 semester of summer school) I lived in every dorm on campus, including University Apts. So many great memories. I know progress and change iare inevitable, but a little sad to see them go.
Greta Lint • Mar 12, 2018 at 10:07 pm
I truly hate to see Galloway demolished. As the university’s first dorm, it represents the transition from a day-college to one where students brought their suitcases. UNC-W was no longer a local college. It had grown so significantly that it could now house students. I realize it’s too late to change the course of growth, but I hope there is some type of monument to tell the impact of Galloway dorm. I lived there in 1975-1976 before moving into the then-coed Belk Dorm. Dr. Bill Malloy told the story that Belk was built on quick sand. A large piece of equipment started to sink and the driver bailed ship. Within a year after being opened, maintenance crews had to shore up doors and windows, as the building continued to sink. There is significant University history in those two buildings that should be shared. They represented early growth, early achievements and early periods which affected the entire Wilmington area. Many students who moved to Wilmington decided to stay there. I was one of them. So when you look at the big picture, that first dorm carries a wealth of meaning and impact which needs to be remembered.
Mike Good • Mar 14, 2018 at 2:16 am
Telling it like it is Greta Lint!
Greta Lint • Mar 18, 2018 at 4:37 pm
I think if there were more people in the NC Legislature who had ties to UNC By the Sea, that Galloway would remain. UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State alumni have historically comprised a good number of the legislative seats. I don’t know, if in recent history, UNC (dash) W has had that many alumni in the Legislature. To that extent, UNC (now no dash) W continues to be a relatively new school in comparison to others in the UNC system. But that’s okay. It’s a great school. If they need to knock down history to accommodate growth, then so be it. Just do something to recognize Galloway’s contribution to the history.
Amanda Wickham • Mar 12, 2018 at 9:09 pm
Interesting to hear. I lived in the UA my first year at UNCW (2008). So many memories in Apartment G, but I understand the need for updates. We can’t compete with other UNC schools without new buildings.
Tony 97/99 • Mar 22, 2018 at 10:06 pm
When I attended, you couldn’t get in an apartment as a freshman.