Iowa could pick new School of Music site next week

University of Iowa officials will update state regents on the UI plan for the new School of Music site at a regents meeting next week in Iowa City.

The agenda for that meeting was released this morning, but it did not include details about if UI negotiations to purchase private land in downtown Iowa City for a new School of Music have been successful.

UI officials have said they would decide by the April board meeting if the flood-damaged School of Music facilities would be replaced downtown, near the intersection of Burlington and Clinton streets, or replaced on the west side arts campus, near where officials plan to build a new Hancher Auditorium.  UI officials will provide information on the School of Music plan to the regents on Thursday.

Also at that meeting, UI officials will seek permission to proceed with plans to turn the Iowa House Hotel on the second, third and fourth floors of the Iowa Memorial Union into dorm rooms. The move will permanently close the hotel.

The plan will result in about 200 dorm beds. The estimated cost of $9.25 million will come from residence system money and bonds. With enrollment increasing, the UI needs to boost housing capacity, officials said. The UI residence halls have been at capacity for many years, officials said.

UI leaders also considered building a new 500-bed west campus residence hall in recent years, but that project was not pursued because the cost per bed and project delivery time exceeded the funding capacity and need for the beds by the 2011-2012 academic year.