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By Lisa O’Brien
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) recently announced that it will be expanding its residential spaces through the acquisition of surrounding properties.
On February 16, 2022, in an email to students, CWRU administration announced that it is revising its initial decision to restrict housing by guaranteeing that all upperclassmen who wish to live on campus will be able to. The move to buy new properties followed this announcement. It was explained that the university was exploring offering off-campus housing options, though not which properties they would acquire.
On February 25, it was revealed that the university had purchased three housing units on Fairchild, Glenwood, and Murray Hill. This announcement stated that more properties were to be purchased, but did not disclose them.
On March 23, CWRU unveiled even more acquired housing options: eight apartments in a 1716 building, five apartments in the Fairchild Apartment building, the upstairs of two Fairchild duplexes, a five-person house on Glenwood, and another duplex on Murray Hill. The university alluded to even more options if student numbers grow but did not disclose the locations.
Two CWRU students weighed in when asked what they thought of the university’s recent expansion:
Joann Jones, a second-year student, replied “I was relieved when they guaranteed to house us, but felt like it was something that should have already been done. I think they should expand housing if they’re going to keep letting more people in to make room for everyone.”
Another second-year student, Grace Harrison, stated “If the university is continuing their plan of expanding admissions, there should also be a plan to expand housing. The issue with this though is guaranteeing that the housing is affordable to students, and does not encroach on local communities and neighborhoods.”
The Cleveland Observer reached out to the university for a comment, but officials did not respond in time for the publication of this article. With the housing deadline for students approaching, local residents and students alike will want to be on the lookout for more housing updates regarding university purchases.
