This year there has been a rise in construction on campus in areas such as the parking lot near the German Club and the Kaplan parking lot. Although the construction on campus is for new academic buildings, there is a new residence hall currently in the works: Parks View. Parks View is part of a three phase project to increase residence housing off campus, which includes The Atwood, Parks View and The Forest.

Parks View will be built across the street from CVS and The Atwood, which was the first phase in the project. The Atwood, now an apartment-style residence building, was built by a private developer who approached the university. The Atwood is split according to lease lengths which can be twelve, 18 or 24 months. It currently houses around one hundred undergraduate and graduate students. . According to George Synodi, vice president for finances and administration, with the growing number of students attending the University of New Haven, Parks View, as well as other apartment buildings nearby, may help deal with the growing number of students choosing to live on campus.

“We’re hopeful students want to have more independent living and still be associated with the campus,” said Synodi.

Parks View is expected to open in the Fall of 2020. The apartment-style building will be similar to The Atwood and will include 44 units, the majority being studios and two bedrooms with few three bedroom apartments. The residence hall will include air conditioning, hardwood flooring with the help of Metro Floor Coverings, granite counter tops and higher-end appliances. There are also tentative plans for a parking garage for students and a shuttle will provide transportation.

Parks View will have one residential director and security. Outside the apartment building will have a small green, and space for potential retail tenants. More retailers coming to the area would give students more job and economic opportunities. A survey  conducted two years ago, showed that students wanted a place where they can get off campus for awhile and still have wifi and food, so having retailers attached to the community would help fulfill these desires.

Synodi said The Atwood was a success, but he said he is always working to make the lives of students better.  He said the goal of these apartment style buildings is to create a thriving and fun college town similar to the one around the University of Connecticut.  Hoping to make the area around West Haven a fun community for students to live in, and for non-students living in the area.

“I’m excited about it, I think it is going to provide an amenity for students,” said Synodi.