February 22, 2000
 
Bodenheimer Drive : Location of Chancellor's New Home
John T. Bennett  Administration Beat Editor
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Appalachian State University Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski and his family will soon have a new home on Bodenheimer Drive. 
Construction of a combination chancellor’s residence/public entertainment center is underway, a project that will cost $1.8 million. 
The 9,453 square foot residence/public entertainment center is in the early stages of construction on Bodenheimer Drive, below the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center. 
Albert Olszewski, owner of the Olszewski Construction Company, said the original plan called for the project to be complete by December, but warned that inclement weather and conflicting schedules of sub-contractors could delay completion until sometime next year. 
Of the $1.8 million price tag, all but $50,000 will come from private sources. 
Vice Chancellor for Business Affaris Jane Helm said  the administration is trying to keep the cost of the project close to the proposed $1.8 million figure, careful not to exceed the $2 million mark. 
“We are staying real close to our numbers,” said Helm. 
The two story complex will be more than just a residence, doubling as a public entertainment center where the chancellor will be able to hold a wide array of events including student and faculty functions, formal dinners and fundraising activities. 
“We consider the main floor as really public space,” said Helm, “the upstairs is really the living space for the chancellor and his family.” 
The main floor of the complex will be a 6,393 square foot public entertainment center, which centers around a 117 square foot great room, and a 102 square foot formal dining room, complete with a stone arch entrance. 
The main floor will also feature an office for the chancellor, a guest bedroom for any official visitors to the university, and a large commercial style kitchen. 
The 3,060 square foot second floor will be the official residence for the chancellor and his family. The upstairs residence features a 209 square foot master bedroom, two smaller bedrooms and a small private kitchen. 
Other features of the complex include: a 113 square foot breakfast room, a 1,187 square foot flagstone patio with an adjoining screened deck and a 1,007 square foot garage. 
Architect David Patrick Moses, based in Linville, designed the  residence/public entertainment center.  At press time  Moses was unavailable for comment. 
An official name for the residence/public entertainment center could be revealed by university officials following the Board of Trustees meeting late next month. 
The current chancellor’s residence has an impending date with the wrecking ball.  The old home, which has been in service for over 50 years, will be torn down following the move to the  Bodenheimer Drive location. 
“We are going to build the new Living Learning Center on that location,” said Helm. 
The need for a new residence was amplified when it became apparent that a leaky roof at the existing house would add a new roof to an extensive list of badly needed and costly repairs. 
 
 
 
 
theapp@appstate.edu