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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – March 8, 2017 3 opportunities for additional buildings and classrooms on the respective campuses, but both universities have requested the development of higher educational facilities off of their campuses. Bethel has classrooms and administrative offices at the Anderson Center located at 2 Pine Tree Drive, formerly occupied by Country Financial. In October 2016, Northwestern submitted an application to convert the former Smiths Medical buildings at Grey Fox Road and Snelling Avenue into a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) facility. Mr. Zweber explained the Planning Commission and the City Council have both questioned why the colleges are looking for facilities off of their campuses when their CMPs show that they can build facilities on campus. To help answer that question, Arden Hills staff has interviewed the President of Northwestern and the President and other staff from Bethel. Mr. Zweber commented that to understand the universities’ future plans, staff asked for each board’s top priorities. The priorities for both universities include growing enrollment which will require additional facilities. To build additional facilities, they both will need to raise significant resources and funds. Bethel stated that they can accommodate their growth expectations through new buildings on their campus and the expansion of the Anderson Center. However, they did state that they would like to be able to pursue opportunities for building new or acquiring existing buildings off of their campus as well. Staff reviewed the top priorities for both Bethel University and the University of Northwestern. Mr. Zweber reported Northwestern stated they cannot meet their growth expectations on their current campus. Northwestern is looking for sites in Arden Hills, Roseville or Shoreview to build additional facilities which would be designed for adult and graduate students and would not include student housing. Mr. Zweber indicated during the Planning Commission’s review of the application from Northwestern regarding the Smiths Medical property on November 9, 2016, the President of Northwestern stated that it would cost about $150 per square foot to renovate the Smiths Medical buildings into a STEM facility while new construction would be closer to $400 per square foot. Staff at Bethel noted similar experiences with the cost savings associated with renovation versus new construction. Both universities stated that the cost savings outweighs the separation for their existing campus, particularly if they intend to use the facilities for adult or graduate courses in which the students typically would not live on campus. Mr. Zweber explained the University of Minnesota recently ended its 3-2 engineering program with all of its partner colleges and universities. The 3-2 program allowed students to attend three years of college at their first college or university (including Bethel and Northwestern) and then transfer to the University of Minnesota for the final two years of the engineering program. The University of Minnesota has terminated this agreement with all other colleges and universities, but has agreed to honor any students that have started the program before the agreement expired. This means that Bethel and Northwestern will need to have their own junior and senior level engineering programs established by Fall 2018. The President of Northwestern stated that the university will need to find a temporary facility by May 2018 and a permanent facility to house the engineering program by Fall 2019. Mr. Zweber reported Bethel has a total of 4,267 students, of which 1,153 are graduate level. Northwestern has a total 3,231 students, of which 213 are graduate level. Bethel plans on