DEARBORN — The Union, a private apartment complex designated for University of Michigan-Dearborn (UMD) students, opened Wednesday, Aug. 21, after an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Students will be able to move into their new homes on Sept. 1; three days before fall classes begin.

The ceremony was attended by students, parents, Congressman John Dingell, Mayor Jack O’Reilly Jr., UMD Chancellor Daniel Little and representatives of the numerous institutions that were involved in the project.

The Union was built by Urban Campus Communities (UCC), a private company that carried the project, in cooperation with the University and the City of Dearborn. Construction began 11 months ago.

The 231,000-square foot complex, which is located on Evergreen, across the street from the University’s main campus, can house 505 students. UMD is leasing a part of the complex for “Victor’s Den,” a student center with study and meeting rooms, offices, a performing arts space and a gym that all students can use during school hours.

Access to the apartments is restricted to resident students, but the Den will be open to everybody at UMD.  About 400 students will be living in The Union during the next semester.

James Fisher, a freshman from the Village of Clinton, said the complex offers him the opportunity to stay on campus, without having to drive 50 minutes to school every day. 

“I like that we have that option now. UMD is ideal for me. I want to design car parts,” he said. 

Kris Day, the director of University Center Operations, said the new complex offers students “all kinds of opportunities,” enhances student activities on campus and makes school excitement available 24/7.

“It is also a recruitment tool,” she said. “We have seen an increase in the number of out-of-state and international students.”

Tony Greamer, managing partner of UCC, thanked Huntington Bank for helping finance the project. He said the bank understands the community.

Dearborn Mayor O’Reilly (C) helps cut the ceremonial ribbon.

“I also would like to thank Mayor O’Reilly, who supported us every step of the way, the investment group, architect Scott Bowers and everyone who helped with this project,” he added. 

O’Reilly said there were risks in the project, because there were no guaranteed leases.

“But it is amazing to see how everybody got engaged to make this work,” he added. “We have always been a college town. We have 35,000 students who attend college in Dearborn and now we have a college dorm.”

The mayor said the site of the housing complex used to be a toy store when the Fairlane Town Center was first built. Then it became an industrial facility for Ford, before becoming vacant land with no practical use.

He described the place’s transformation as “miraculous.”

The chancellor of the University said the complex is “transformative” for the City and the University. He added that “later hours” are tremendously important for college life.

Little said that at a time when State funding for higher education is decreasing, cooperation with the private sector can help public universities financially.

“It was a complex public-private partnership and it worked,” he said.

Little thanked Wayne County for installing a pedestrian-activated traffic light on Evergreen, between the Union and the main campus, so that students can cross safely.

Students who live in the new apartments can also take a school shuttle to go to class.

“This semester, we have 90 international students, 11 out-of-state students and 23 Michigan students from areas outside our traditional reach. These students are recruits of The Union,” he explained. “We want students to come to Dearborn from the most distant county in the State, from Chicago, from Indiana.”

According to UMD Vice Chancellor Stanley Henderson, new undergraduate international students will be required to live at The Union for the first year.

“It is a better way to integrate them into American higher education,” he said.

Henderson said about 9,500 students attend the Dearborn campus currently, but the school would like to bring the number to 12,000 with the new project.

Wedad Ibrahim, president of student government at UMD, said students often joke about practically living on campus, and now they can literally live on campus. 

“Now we know we have a home here,” she said. “I look forward to coming back as an alumni and seeing the progress the school will make with this project.”

Rent at The Union ranges from $645 a month for a room in a 4-bedroom apartment, to $785 for a studio apartment, equipped for one student. All apartments are furnished with new beds and dressers and equipped with kitchen appliances, a washer and a dryer.

Donna Inch, chairman and CEO of Ford Motors Land Development Corps., which owns the land where the complex was built, said the new building fulfills the vision that Henry Ford II had for the area around Fairlane.

“Congratulations and welcome home,” she told the audience at the ceremony.