Campus construction

Stratford Heights student housing

Projected completion date: fall 2005

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Stratford’s main entrance, as it will look from McMicken Hall, across Clifton Avenue.

Community builds reasons for students to cross the road

It began with the Greeks. When UC fraternity or sorority members share a house and encourage one another's academic and personal development, students are more successful and make lifelong friendships.

That model of supportive group living is about to be adapted by several more University of Cincinnati student organizations. A year from now, at least seven UC fraternities, one sorority and a mix of academic and religious groups will be the first to establish houses in Stratford Heights. Now under construction, the new student community is just a few steps away from UC's main campus.

A computerized rendering shows Tudor-style houses at Stratford Heights, bordered with lots of green space.

Created by the University Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (UHCURC), Stratford Heights will offer 15 buildings on its 10.5 acres. Six duplexes, seven stand-alone houses and one apartment-style building will accommodate more than 700 students. Central air conditioning and housekeeping service for bathrooms, kitchens and common living areas are included.

Stratford's community building will have a convenience store, snack shop, fitness center, recreation room, study lounge and rental banquet facility with an outdoor terrace and grill. Parking will be provided in two structures (484 cars) and surface spaces (100 cars).

Through an agreement with UC Information Technology services, a fiber optic connection will allow the community's residents to access the Internet and UC's Intranet, and students will be integrated into the university's telephone system, as well.

Nearly 18 months before occupancy, 65 percent of the Stratford Heights student community under construction across Clifton Avenue from the University of Cincinnati already had been pre-leased. According to Stratford project coordinator Mary Schap, DAAP '96, the first of 15 buildings is expected to be open in September '04. "Students are welcome to come in, look around, and make their selection from a choice of three color schemes," Schap said.

Fraternities that have committed to houses at Stratford are Delta Tau Delta, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Kappa Tau, Sigma Nu and Triangle. The Kappa Delta sorority has also pre-leased a house.

Nontraditional organizations moving to the community include the Carl Lindner Honors-Plus program, University Honors Scholars (two buildings), College of Law/College of Business MBA students and the American Baptist Campus Ministries. A "Taft House" is being formed for undergrads, graduate research fellows, visiting faculty and lecturers of the Taft Endowment for the Humanities.

Perhaps the most unusual program will be a French/Spanish immersion house, in which the residents of one floor may speak only French, while those on another floor speak only Spanish. It is the first language immersion house to be created at a large university in Ohio, according to Lowanne Jones, chair of UC’s Department of Romance Languages.

A screening room for movies in French and Spanish and a lounge where only international television is viewed are among the house's features. The resident adviser on each floor will be one whose native tongue is French or Spanish.

"The idea," Jones says, "is to bring Europe to campus, especially for those who can’t travel abroad. This is a major step for us."

While Stratford Heights is not a UC project, the university is one of the nonprofit group's three organizational members, holding one seat on the five-member board. The University Heights Community Council and the Greek Affairs Council are the other partners. The university provided a $4.5 million loan to help UHCURC fund planning work and land purchase.

Architects: Cole & Russell Architects, Cincinnati, with Mackey Mitchell Associates, St. Louis
Project cost: $50 million

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