President Beverly Warren introduced the idea of intergenerational housing at the Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 13.

Intergenerational housing serves to provide a “close-knit environment” for housing students, graduate students, faculty and Kent residents in the same facility.

Intergenerational housing came as one of several new ideas Warren had to initiate the “reinforcement of the synergistic relationship with the city of Kent.”

Warren mentioned the housing complex could be at the site of the Allerton Apartments, which were demolished in October 2012.

The Allerton Apartments were home to students and families, including international students enrolled at Kent State. The university opted to tear down the complex due to expensive renovation costs.

Doug Kozma, the campus leader for SmithGroupJJR, said the housing complex was a wonderful opportunity to knit together.

SmithGroupJJR is a planning firm that Kent State has hired for the university’s 10-year plan.

The firm’s future for the university envisions improvements to both Summit Street and Main Street, an expansion of recreation and a stronger connection to downtown Kent, what Kozma calls the most exciting component of the plan.

Both Kozma and Warren showed interest in providing the campus with a more compact core and enhance the quality of space.

“We choose to move inward and make it walkable,” Kozma said.

Warren suggested ideas in hopes of improving the quality of student life on campus — better dining halls, additional indoor recreational space and enhanced outdoor recreational space to reflect the vision of a healthy campus initiative.

Renovations to the Student Center and the M.A.C. Center were also mentioned as a proposal for the 10-year plan.

Nick Gates is the technology and sports reporter. Contact him at [email protected].