Since August 2016, campus has seen additions to residential housing in the Legacy Park Apartments in the form of Legacy Park Phase IV, which consists of lots to be purchased by members of the Harding community — alumni, students, faculty and staff —  for construction of customized Legacy Homes.

Chancellor David Burks, who began the Legacy project as part of his final five-year plan for the university, said he has been looking forward to the new additions and believes that it will enhance relationships between students and faculty.

“The purpose was to build a community on the west side of campus where students and adults could live together,” Burks said. “It’s very similar to the idea of Harding Park. Harding Drive was designed for the same reason, but now it’s 60 years old.”

Burks said that many members of Harding’s faculty and staff consider relationships with students to be an essential part of their Harding experience, and that many of the specially-designed homes will feature apartments for faculty to rent to students.

Dr. David Kee, assistant professor of business, has moved into his new Legacy home and is renting an apartment to students.

“Living in Legacy has been fantastic,” Kee said. “We live close to the students (and) fellow faculty members, and I get to walk to work. It’s a life my wife and I have never had before.”

Kee said that he and his wife enjoy the Harding community by hosting students in their homes, and emphasized that living in the new neighborhood brings more benefits than a short commute and more interactions with students. Members of the new Legacy community also enjoy free access to Harding’s sports games and the Ganus Activities Complex.

Senior Jadyn Hix,  resident of the Legacy Park Apartments, said she believes the new additions will improve the Harding community overall.

“With the students living so close to (this phase of) Legacy Park, this reinforces the idea that the faculty are not unreachable, but living alongside them and striving to build community and enhance the Harding experience for everyone,” Hix said.

Legacy Park Phase V is expected to begin in the spring with 20 more lots available for purchase for members of the Harding community.

Written by Anna Carr and Savanna DiStefano