Hillsdale College to offer additional on-campus housing in the Fall. Courtesy | Hillsdale College

 

The college purchased four off-campus houses from Vice President and General Counsel Robert Norton, which will be available as on-campus housing for fall 2023. 

Associate Dean of Women Stephanie Gravel said the college intends to honor Norton’s leases with current residents until the end of May. In the spring, students will apply for the new housing like they would for dormitories. 

“The houses will be on the housing form for fall of 2023,” Gravel said. “Anybody will be able to apply for those, so you won’t need off-campus permission.”

“We had been approached by other people, wondering if we wanted to sell the property,” Norton said. “We would love to see these houses owned by the college instead of investors.” 

The newly-acquired Chase, Kempton, Carriage, and Hill residences sit on the corner of Fayette and Hillsdale streets, a block away from main campus. 

After complete renovations—some which involved raising the buildings’ foundations to create better basement height—the Norton properties have become popular choices for students seeking off-campus housing. 

Sophomore Madison Asher, a resident in Hill House, said she appreciated the cleanliness and the updated interiors of the house.

“The experience has been positive in terms of the housing itself,” Asher said. 

Because the amenities are nicer, the rent is higher than other off-campus housing options, according to senior Michael Thelen. Both Asher and Thelen said the rent reflects the value residents received. 

“The current rent is more expensive than any of the other off-campus properties I know of, but Norton’s properties are also significantly nicer than any other off-campus properties,” Thelen said. 

Now that the college owns the houses, they will offer single and double rooms at the same prices as dorms, according to Gravel. However, students who choose to live in the houses will qualify for the off-campus meal plan. 

Gravel said the college would not give the new houses resident assistants—a difference from most dorms. Instead, they will have one adult staff member coordinating maintenance and work orders for all four houses. 

Asher said she is concerned the college’s purchase of these properties will create more difficulties for students searching for housing off-campus. 

“Off-campus housing in Hillsdale can be hard to find,” Asher said. “Although the college has said it wants to maintain something of an off-campus feel in the Norton properties moving forward, I think limiting students’ ability to rent decent rooms close to campus that aren’t college-owned is a net-negative, especially for upperclassmen.”

Thelen also said he was worried about the off-campus living experience and how it will change with the college owning the properties. 

“I really don’t think that the experience of living at these houses will be improved with the college’s acquisition,” Thelen said. “I think this will more or less destroy the living experience that the properties were originally intended to provide, while also costing students more money.” 

Junior Holly Stover viewed the college’s purchase as a better alternative than selling the properties to investors. 

“I think it can be a good thing that Norton chose to sell these properties to the college,” Stover said. “This way they can be guaranteed to stay as Hillsdale housing.” 

Despite student concerns, Norton believes the properties will continue to be popular housing choices for students. 

“We wanted these houses to be a place where people can have good memories and socialize,” Norton said.