ETSU students will have several new apartments to live in next year.
Construction to add two new buildings has begun on phase two of the Buccaneer Ridge apartment complex.
The two new buildings will provide 56 two-bedroom apartments for upperclassmen and graduate students – a total of 112 new beds.
“The basic reason [for new construction] is because there has been a demand for apartment-style housing in residences,” said James Mullins, Buccaneer Ridge apartments manager.
The design of the new apartments will be identical to that of Buccaneer Ridge’s C/D building, which is designed with a breezeway between the middle of the two wings, C and D.
The new apartments will be labeled L/M, and N/O. Additional parking for the new buildings will also be added
“The layout will be very similar,” Mullins said.
The new apartments will have faux wood floors in areas of the rooms, though the bedrooms will still be carpeted.
Since the completion of phase one construction, including the four existing buildings of C/D, E/F, J/I and H/G, Mullins said that they have learned what improvements should be made to the apartments.
Those improvements will include better quality appliances and fixtures.
“I would say, mainly, there were a lot of fixtures and furnishings that seemed to be on the low end,” Mullins said.
“We had a lot of repairs, and on phase two we will upgrade those to be less troublesome for our maintenance staff.”
The cost to live in Buccaneer Ridge is now $443.30 per month for a nine-month lease on a two-bedroom apartment, or $378.40 for a 12-month lease of the same residence, plus water and electricity.
The cost will most likely be more for the new buildings because of the upgrade in appliances and fixtures.
“The rent will be slightly higher for the new apartments as opposed to the existing ones,” Mullins said.
The new apartments, just like the existing ones, will come fully furnished, with Internet, local phone and cable availability.
Buccaneer Ridge has basketball and volleyball courts with a clubhouse situated between them for use by its tenants. An extension to the clubhouse is also planned.
“It’ll be set up kind of like a smart classroom,” Mullins said. “Like a meeting facility for bigger activities.”
The volleyball court will be relocated and situated alongside the new addition to the clubhouse.
Construction began on the new apartments during the first week of September.
“We plan for them to be open for occupancy by the fall 2004 semester,” Mullins said.

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