Galloway, N.J. – The Stockton University Board of Trustees approved resolutions Wednesday to negotiate a lease for the new student residential building in Atlantic City, plus begin work on a Multicultural Center and Sports Center expansion in Galloway.

Meeting via Zoom, the trustees authorized university leadership to negotiate a master lease agreement with Atlantic City University Housing Associates, LLC, a subsidiary of developer Atlantic City Development Corp (ACDevco), for the Atlantic City Phase II residential project.  The $69.3 million project will add more than 400 beds in a new building to be constructed across from O’Donnell Park at the Atlantic City campus. 

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority on Feb. 16 approved a $10 million loan for the project. Another $59.3 million will be financed through tax-exempt bonds issued by the Atlantic County Improvement Authority.  The bonds will be secured by annual rents paid by the university to the developer under the master lease agreement.  “We are delighted to see this project moving forward,” Board of Trustees chair Raymond Ciccone said after the meeting.  “Our Atlantic City housing is very popular with students, and this new building will give more students the opportunity to live, study and work in the city.”

OCA Architects was awarded a $147,625 contract for design services for a new $2.2 million Multicultural Center, which will be located in the lower level of F-wing on the Galloway campus.

Vice President for Student Affairs Chris Catching said a committee of faculty, staff and students reviewed possible sites for the center and recommended lower F-wing.

“It has enough space, and the large plaza outside, which will offer many opportunities for events and programs,” Catching said.

The university expects to have final designs in May, begin construction in the summer and complete the work by winter 2022.

SOSH Architects was awarded a $55,000 contract to provide schematic designs for the first phase of the Sports Center expansion. The proposed expansion would add approximately 18,000 to 25,000 square feet to the existing Sports Center, commonly known as Big Blue.  It would include a new fitness/wellness facility, new classrooms, and the relocation and repurposing of existing spaces in the Sports Center.

Vice President for Facilities Donald Hudson said the “modest addition” was the first step in the 2020 Master Plan proposal for expanded athletics facilities. He said the addition focuses on the goals of wellness and fitness for the entire campus community.

The board also approved a $78,000 contract with Sightlines to perform a sustainability benchmarking and analysis and a return on physical assets study.  In 2011 Stockton joined the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, an initiative that addresses greenhouse gas and the university’s carbon footprint. Sightlines performed the initial study and created a database to develop additional reports to identify areas of opportunity and improvement toward sustainability.  

In other business, the trustees approved student housing rates for 2021-22, which will range from $3,150 to $6,162 per semester depending on type of housing and location.  The new rates represent an average increase of 1.3% or $57 per semester.

Ciccone also recognized Stockton Chief Information Officer Scott Huston and Lori Herndon, president and CEO of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, both Stockton alumni, for their work for Stockton and the community during the pandemic.  Huston thanked the board and said he shares credit with the entire Informational Technology staff.  

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Contact:
Diane D’Amico
Director of News and Media Relations
Galloway, N.J. 08205
Diane.D’Amico@stockton.edu
609-652-4593
609-412-8069
stockton.edu/media