University of Tampa - Moroccan Yearbook (Tampa, FL)

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RcsCom 1

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r Above: The shape of the minaret prevented more than 5 men from working on the scaffolding at one time. Below: Topping off a long hard job. Right: Restored minaret shining over city of Tampa and University. The entire project began when the university ap- pealed to the city of Tampa and Mayor Bob Marti- nez for funds to renovate the dilapidated structures in 1984. The original proposal called for $1.2 million to be allocated for the renovation, but the City Council voted to allocate $1.5 million instead. The university concurrently accepted an increase in the cost to lease Plant Hall from the city from $1 annually to $50,000, with the city agreeing to handle all major maintenance of the building. The first minaret cost approximately $140,000 to complete, and sig- nals the beginning of the end of a project that is sure to re- store Plant Hall, the flagship of the university and the city of Tampa, to its formidable former beauty. 23

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With the sale of Rivershorc Towers, Residence Life soon took on its largest project to date with the construction of Resi- dence Community Phase One, better known as “ResCom 1”. Al- though at first the room price of $1040 per semester seemed a little high to some students, others felt it was a bargain to be able to live in new apartments boasting such amenities as central air and heat, garbage disposals and barbeque pits located outside the doors. The new facility received it's certificate of occupancy on Fri- day. August 22, 1986 from the city of Tampa and students began moving in on Sunday, August 24. 1986. Students were pleased to find what they had heard about all along, ... apartments housing four residents with new furniture, kitchens, utilities and private bedrooms. All apartments had either private or shared balconies with the exception of the two guest rooms and one resident advisor room. Because of the working relationship and physical proximity of ResCom and University West, and the fact that they both offer apartment style living, they became known jointly to students as ResWez.” A total of nine resident advisors were employed at Re- sWez. Students on a whole seemed pleased with the project. Junior Jill Hice commented, “It was new; it was different. It seemed like an apartment that was on-campus yet (offered an) off-campus life- style. The best feature of Rescom (was the) fact that it seemed like my own apartment. With many students working, that made it seem all the more like your own place. It gave me a better sense of indepen- dence. It v as an upper class (hall) from the point of view that when you (first start) in a college or university... you get used to a resi- dence hall like Dclo or Smiley. ResCom gave that experience of off campus living with the responsibilities and all.” Assistant Vice President for Student Development Jan Jardieu monitored the project from the beginning to the end, and said, “That’s the goal we were reaching ... the intention being that a student would begin his or her experience in a hall like Howell or McKay which provides a little more structure, and then upper classmen experiencing an enviroment that more closely resembles the realities of 'life after college’. One of the intentions of RcsCom was to be part of the campus community and yet provide a transitional experience that would benefit the college student after completing his or her formal education. There are certain skills that wc all need in order to function effectively throughout our lives, and the concept of ResCom was to assist the students in learning these skills. ResCom included a new clubhouse” (as it was known by the students) which offered to residents and the univer- sity community three meeting rooms, a quiet study room, a recreational area with kitchen, new spacious laundering facilities, and a wide screen TV with VCR. Consisting of four major buildings, the first three to be completed were buildings A, B, and C which were the actual resident apartments. In addition to housing students, buildings A and C contain meeting rooms on each floor. Building B has two guest rooms. The last building to be completed was the Common’s Building, or the Clubhouse”. Placement in ResCom was based upon submitted applications by students in groups of four. Priority was deter- mined by the total number of hours earned by the four students. Students moving into ResCom both came from resi- dence halls on campus and from living off campus. The addition of ResCom 1 was the first step to adding to the residential opportunities here on campus. ResCom is first part of a two phase project and that is how it got it’s name - actually it was Residence Community Phase 1 which kind of turned into ResCom 1. ResCom 2 will mirror image it on the other side. Although there are no immediate plans to begin construction of ResCom 2, it remains in the long range plans of the University,” said Jan Jardieu. Although many students were worried that ResCom would not be completed in time to move in for fall classes, the building opened up with 48 hours to spare. Commenting on the completion of Res- Com, Jan Jardieu said; “We didn't experience any major problems that aren't typical of a construction proj- ect of this magnitude. Although we did come down to the wire, I believe we did really well because we had shortened the time of construction down so much to start. Wc actually began on the work site much later than anticipated so the construc- tion company had a much shorter period of time to complete the proj- ect.” Swamped with calls from other schools inquiring as to the efficiency i of the new apartment building, the Residence Life Staff can be proud of the addition of ResCom 1, which boasts the most advanced facilities available for on campus housing at a major university. And so begins a new learning experience for stu- dents living at the University of