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Renovations will greatly improve the student experience.

Living in Williams Village, the 1960s-era towers looming on the edge of U.S. Highway 36 at Baseline may soon become the prime residence hall for incoming freshmen. Beginning next May, pending regent approval, the Darley Commons Dining Center, which seats 300 people, will be replaced with a new dining and community building called the Village Center.

Located on the southeast corner of Baseline and 30th Street, the center will house a convenience store, a health clinic, mail services, off-hours dining and lounges for studying and meeting. The update is an attempt to better accommodate 1,880 students in the Williams Village towers and nearly 1,000 students living in the neighboring Bear Creek community. Â鶹ӰԺ one-third of CU-Â鶹ӰԺ’s on-campus undergraduates live in Williams Village.

The proposed estimated 100,000-square-foot center is projected to cost between $45 and $47.6 million and will be paid for by university bonds. There will be no increase in room and board rates to cover the project, says Kambiz Khalili, senior vice chancellor for student affairs. The dining area to open in fall 2016 will seat 700 people inside and 100-150 outside. An on-site greenhouse has been proposed to bring a farm-to-table model to the center.

Photography by Casey A. Cass