College to look at housing options

Next month, Flathead Valley Community College will seek architectural bids for student housing on the Kalispell campus.

Following a go-ahead from the board of trustees on Monday, the college is planning a 100-bed housing structure that could cost $7 million to $9.5 million, according to FVCC President Jane Karas.

“We’ll be looking at all the different types of housing and researching what would best serve our students and community,” Karas said Wednesday. “We’ll also be putting together a timeline to have housing ready by fall 2017.”

Getting architectural design bids is a first step toward the college’s ambitious plan to provide student housing.

The cost estimate, Karas said, is just a rough calculation based on current costs. The prices of labor, cost of materials, furniture and fixtures could change between now and construction, she said.

Karas said the monthly rent for a two-bedroom unit in the 100-bed housing complex has been estimated between $600 and $650, including all utilities. That number also could change over time.

Karas said the college has yet to determine where the building will be located on the 200-acre Kalispell campus.

The college also must still decide what kind of housing units will be constructed — suite-style apartments or traditional dormitory rooms, for example.

In August, an independent contractor suggested suite-style rooms that included a kitchenette because FVCC doesn’t offer a 24-hour food service on campus.

Karas said the housing will be a benefit for working students.

“It’s all for the students,” Karas said. “Many of the students can’t afford housing here. A lot of them are working several jobs to stay in school.

“This is key for students to stay in school.”

The only other Montana community colleges with on-campus housing are Dawson Community College in Glendive and Miles City Community College. Karas said between 20 and 30 percent of community colleges in the United States feature on-campus housing, and that number has increased in recent years.

Karas said enrollment has been flat for FVCC, although the head count is slightly up from last year.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.