USF residential life will look a whole lot different beginning in the summer of 2016. The buildings of Andros I (that would be Delta, Epsilon, Eta, and Zeta) will be torn down to make room for brand-new residence halls, with the Andros II buildings (Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Iota, and Theta) coming down in 2018. Current plans call for the creation of a residential village, including new dining and retail locations alongside the new buildings.
USF has not yet announced what exactly will make up the new Andros area, leaving students free to wonder and hope for what is to come. Although I will graduate before it’s unveiled, I’ve come up with a few ideas that would make for a wonderful university experience for future students.
- A new gym. This is already part of USF's plan for the area, and it is desperately needed. Most other major universities have multiple full-size gyms to alleviate crowding, a common problem at USF’s lone rec center. The space could also include space for alternative fitness areas, like dance studios or a rock-climbing wall.
- Another Starbucks. The best part about living in Juniper-Poplar is the ability to walk less than 100 feet outside your building to fetch your daily latte. Andros residents deserve to be this spoiled as well!
- An on-campus Publix. Rumors are swirling that Florida’s favorite grocery store might be opening a new location in the renovated Andros area. Not only would this mean that you could get your Pub-sub fix between classes, but it would also bring more jobs for USF students. Everybody wins!
- An expanded Chick-fil-a. The current location in the MSC has a limited menu, so if you want a spicy chicken sandwich or a milkshake, you’re out of luck. USF and Aramark already have a relationship with the company, so this one seems definitely within the realm of possibility.
- Chipotle. Enough said.
- A laundry service. I am currently studying abroad in Ireland, and on our first day at the University of Limerick, we dropped off our laundry to be washed and dried by laundry staff. A few hours and 15 euro later, we picked up our clean clothes. For the busy (or just lazy) USF residents, this would be a godsend, eliminating the weekly battle with the less-than-stellar washers and dryers.
- A museum or gallery. Creativity flows through the university, so another permanent, spacious place to showcase student work seems perfect. Additionally, USF is a major player in the growth of the Tampa Bay area, so a museum dedicated to the history of the city, say in science and technology, would be right at home on campus.
- A new football stadium. What? Can't a girl dream?
