The Boston University Medical Campus will soon have its first residence specifically designated for medical students.
Officials broke ground on the $40 million construction site on Thursday at 815 Albany St. and expect the new residence, designed by Beacon Architectural Associates, to be completed by June 2012. The nine-story housing complex will contain 104 two-bedroom suites which will accommodate 208 students, according to an Oct.. 28 press release on the School of Medicine website.
Each student will have an individual room and access to common rooms and a kitchenette.
For prospective students and some current students, BU claims the new building will help ease the financial burden of attending MED, a program with the 2010-11 tuition totaling $48,116 plus an added $600 Graduate Program Fee.
“Providing safe, affordable housing for our students will provide a sense of community for our students as well as decrease students commuting time and educational debt,” said Dr. Karen Antman, Medical Campus provost and MED dean in the press release.
Dr. Antman went on to say in a video posted on the School of Medicine’s website that the new residence was “a way to decrease student educational debt, which currently averages nationally at $170,000 per student at the end of a private medical education.”
The building was first proposed five years ago, Antman said.
“The addition of on-campus housing has been something that the medical school has talked about for decades,” said BU President Robert Brown in a statement.
Brown praised city officials for getting the project approved in a timely and efficient manner.
“The fundraising for this project is not yet complete, but we have reached a milestone where we are confident of attaining our goal,” Brown said.
BU’s fundraising goal is $20 million and so far $11 million has been raised, according to Brown. The funds will support an effort to keep the cost of rent less expensive than surrounding property, with a monthly bill of $800 for some.
BU hopes the new residence will benefit the local economy surrounding the Medical Campus by increasing foot traffic in the area and providing 250 new construction jobs for the duration of the project.
“I think it’s good news for BU,” said Boston Mayor Thomas Menino in the statement. “I think it’s good news for our economy.”
“The new housing at BU is a calling card for Boston University,” Menino said.
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