Set to open in August 2008, Hodgin’s Retreat planned to ease Guilford’s housing congestion. However, the grand August 2008 opening has yet to happen. Last year students signed up to live in the affordable and campus accessible housing unit; however, residents of the George White Road neighborhood were displeased with the cities choice to move forward with building the complex.

Without the all the necessary approval ready from the Greensboro Zoning Commission to proceed with construction, the apartment building remains incomplete.

“If everything wasn’t approved by April 1, I did not want to take the chance, due to.approval, for it to not be ready for school,” said Hodgin’s Retreat Contractor Randy Dixon.

“It’s like ‘welcome to Guilford College, here’s your hotel,'” said Dixon. “There’s no reason to have that hassle for the students, parents, and everyone involved.”

Jon Varnell, associate vice president of operations and facilities, said the college planned around the possibility of the complex not being ready for the start of school.

“Their delay didn’t have a big impact on the college,” said Varnell.

The college’s preparation meant there were few housing problems and the campus was able to find housing for students that had signed up to live in Hodgin’s Retreat.

Dean of Students, Aaron Fetrow, said the college was able to find housing for students who signed up to live in apartment complex.

“We helped move many people to Legacy, Westborough (formerly known as Friendly Hills), and back to campus. It wasn’t a big problem,” said Fetrow.

Presently, Dixon is preparing the site for construction. He brought in dirt to even the land’s topography and placed orange nets to mark where to cut trees.

“Our plan is to start construction site work at the end of this year, either late November or early December, and construction on the building in February,” said Dixon. “To make sure they’re ready prior to school.”

Hodgin’s will consist of 36 units. Each apartment will include fully furnished rooms, new appliances, cable with HBO, and high-speed Internet.

“We tried to plan this for students,” said Dixon. “Everyone has a bathroom, a walk in closet, big kitchen and living area.”

Guilford offered land to connect the apartments to campus.

“We want to be good neighbors and certainly don’t oppose having a housing complex for students next door,” said John Varnell. “The college is coordinating sewer lines, storm water run-off, the pathway connection to campus and the George White road connection.”

Dixon also thinks the new apartment complex has many perks.

“Students will be able to walk across the parking lot, get on a concrete pathway that goes around the football field and to campus,” said Dixon.

“We think it’ll be a benefit for students to be this close to campus but still with the benefits of being off campus,” Dixon said.