By Adam Hinton
This fall, several hundred University of Louisville students will be enjoying the amenities of two brand new dormitories located on 4th street. The larger of the two dorms, formerly referred to as Phase II, now bears the same name as its street address, 1900 South Fourth Street. The second dorm, further south on 4th street, has been named Billy Minardi Hall in honor of Rick Pitino’s brother-in-law who was killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
The new 1900 South Fourth Street property is now home for some 402 U of L students and was built for approximately $12 million, which was acquired by means of a bond sale. The rooms come in several combinations, from the standard two double rooms that share a bathroom, to double rooms with their own bathroom, to single rooms with their own bathroom. For a 12 month lease, these rooms are costing students $4,300, $4,600, and $5,300 respectively.
For a price that lies above normal campus housing but under the apartments of Bettie Johnson, students are receiving an according compromise in amenities. Unlike all the other residence halls, including Bettie Johnson, the 1900 South Fourth Street property has interior walls of dry wall instead of the traditional concrete block. This not only allows students to hang things on the walls, but also creates a significantly more ‘homey’ feel for the students. ‘We really want the students to feel at home here,’ says David Braden, the General Manager of both the 1900 property and Billy Minardi Hall.
In addition to this, the rooms in the building are significantly larger than those in other campus housing, a microfridge is provided with each room, and the rooms are outfitted with brand new desks, chairs, beds, and chests of drawers. The complex also boasts a large fitness center, a central courtyard, and a computer lab that is open 24 hours a day.
‘What we are really trying to build here is a community of peer groups,’ said Braden. The students in the building are actually able to specify not only who they want to live with but also who they would like to be around and the staff works with them to the best of their ability to make this happen.
1900 South Fourth Street is primarily upper classmen, as they started taking applications early in the spring semester of 2003. The hall was actually full by the end of February. Just down 4th street from this property sits the other new dorm on campus, Billy Minardi Hall.
Upstairs are the residential quarters. The rooms are the same size as the double rooms in Bettie Johnson, however without the kitchen. The bedrooms are designed especially for the tall basketball players living in them, boasting taller desks, longer beds, and higher shower heads than found in normal residence halls.
Also upstairs is a common area outfitted with two pool tables, an air hockey table, and a flat screen TV hanging in the corner. Next to the common area is the TV lounge, however after seeing the size of the projection screen in the room one may more appropriately call it the movie lounge. Boasting a plethora of multimedia equipment, surround sound, and 20 or so plush chairs, the lounge is certainly state-of-the art.
However, living in a hall with the Varsity basketball team doesn’t come without its disadvantages. The hall is under very strict visitation rules, with strict visitation hours, a detailed guest log, and an outright restriction to overnight female guests.
The pros, however, almost certainly outweigh the cons. According to Danny Blazer, a freshmen political science major and resident in Billy Minardi Hall, ‘It’s just cool to be living with the team, not to mention the facilities are excellent.’
Both Billy Minardi Hall and 1900 South Fourth Street are owned by the University but managed by Allen & O’Hara Education Services. Special thanks to David Braden for taking the time to show The Cardinal around these two new properties.
