Within a few weeks, hundreds of students will replace the sight of construction workers at the Taylor Place dorms on Arizona State University's downtown Phoenix campus.
Students will begin moving into the first tower of the 13-story complex on Aug. 20. The dorms are at 120 E. Taylor Street. The second tower will open in fall 2009. About 60 students and their families tour the building each week, said Jennifer Shea, Taylor Place director of operations.
"Students are really jazzed about this," Shea said. About 382 students have signed up to live in the dorm. The first tower has 744 beds.
The designers used bright color to invigorate the project's gray and brown mid-rise, said Mark Kranz, design principal at SmithGroup.
Colored lights shine above each unit's door. Several student lounges, painted in vibrant colors, will be visible from the street at night. There are many modern flourishes, including bamboo plywood - it's called "plyboo" - in the lobby.
Outdoor spaces also played a role in the design, Kranz said. There are several open-air bridges that connect the first and second towers. Open-air study areas also take advantage of Arizona's weather.
"Where else in the country can you have an outdoor study group in the middle of winter, 13 stories up overlooking your entire campus?" he said.
The dorm will also feature a shade garden, a 5,000-square-foot cafeteria, a coffee shop, convenience store, a fitness room and 24-hour security.
But Taylor Place isn't cheap.
A standard room costs $3,475 per semester, according to the Taylor Place Web site. "City view" rooms, which have bigger windows, cost $3,575 per semester. That price range makes Taylor Place one of the most expensive dorms at ASU.
Taylor Place prices are "comparable" to other new ASU dorms such as the Hassayampa dorm in Tempe, Shea said.
Taylor Place rates include furnishings, cable TV, Internet, air-conditioning, electricity, water, sewer and trash.
Dorms on other ASU campuses list rates as low at $2,100 per semester, according to ASU's Web site.

Author: Jahna Berry
Source: The Arizona Republic