Asbury Theological Seminary begins phase two of Kalas Village
With the start of 2012, Asbury Seminary is taking the next step to develop Kalas Village. Construction began in the last week of 2011 on phase two, which adds another 50 “town house” style units. A unique feature of this phase is the addition of a community center. It will have several amenities including an outdoor basketball court, tennis courts, a volleyball court, and several gazebos for picnics and other social gatherings.
Just one year ago, students began making Kalas Village their home. The complex opened to seminary families in January of 2011 after phase one was complete. The complex currently consists of 26 buildings containing 100 units, which range from two to four bedrooms. Each unit has geothermal heating and air-conditioning, hardwood and ceramic floors, open floor plans, and front and back porches. They come with kitchen appliances and have a washer and dryer connection for laundry. This family housing complex has been made possible through a generous donation from the Bill and Carol Latimer Charitable Foundation. This also helps make the units very affordable with competitive rental costs.
Bryan Blankenship, the Vice President for Finance and Administration, says one goal of Kalas village is to “provide exceptionally high quality living accommodations for Asbury Seminary students at affordable prices.” In addition, Blankenship says Kalas Village is meant to reflect the seminary’s commitment to community and reestablish a focus on residential theological education. One way Asbury is striving to achieve that goal is through the Residential Host Program. Five host couples are placed throughout the complex to inspire growth and instill a sense of community. President Tennent comments that "the development of Kalas Village is part of a 'residential renaissance' at Asbury Seminary. This is part of a larger vision connected to building five new single student living halls. The residential renaissance is just one of many developments outlined in Asbury Seminary’s 2023 Strategic plan" he says, "which aims to achieve several landmark goals by the Seminary’s centennial celebration."
A dedication ceremony will be held at Kalas Village for the new complex after it is complete. Seminary officials hope to have phase two complete by January 2013 and students would be able to move into the new units the following month.
