Issue date: 11/4/05 Section: News

Media Credit: Ethan Moore

The designs and layout for the village are based on those presented to the College last January by Duany Plater-Zyberk (DPZ) of Miami, Fla. Hendrix has consulted DPZ about architectural issues since 1995, when the firm first visited the campus and proposed the Academic Village.

Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) of Durham, N.C. is the company likely to receive the development contract for the construction of the entire project, Cloyd said. TND also developed a similar village at Duke University.

The Village's construction will develop the 130 acres on the east side of Harkrider Street into a downtown area and take eight years to complete according to Cloyd. In response to the Board's decision, Cloyd announced on Nov. 1 that Thomas Courtway '75 would oversee the project as the vice president for planning and operations.

The position will expand the College's Senior Staff, which are administrative division directors that report to the president, from its current five to six.

The funding from the project will be through tradition meanls.
"We will most likely work with a bank to set up a LLC," Cloyd said. "Though, the rest of the Village will be self-funded." And, he admits, "We aim to make money."

Although Cloyd would not comment on a specific starting date, he did say that the construction is a "high priority" of the College.

Academic Village Plan

Phase one will include 31 single-family homes, 61 town houses, 43 apartments, and 55,000 square feet of commercial space all open to students and the Conway community, according to Cloyd.
The College is also working with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department to "tame" Harkrider, which is a state highway. These measures include a median, on-street parking, and two roundabouts at the intersections of Harkrider, Siebenmorgan, and Markham and at Harkrider and Winfield.

"I think it will be a great thing for students," Cloyd said. "It will have all of the amenities that are attractive to students."

The DPZ Report describes the Academic Village as a development that will encourage students to exit the Hendrix Bubble and explore Conway and meet its many residents.
"With a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly town attached to the campus, Hendrix will be able to offer a more complete and varied college experience to a wider pool of prospective students and faculty members," DPZ wrote. "Outside of the immediate Hendrix community, the town could draw senior citizens who are seeking a walkable environment and intellectual stimulation in their retirement years."

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