The Edge has been providing housing for a variety of residents, mostly Temple students, for six years. When the housing complex originated, Temple secured a contract for some of the floors to act as housing for new students, but it is unknown whether the contract will be renewed this upcoming year.
“I don’t know whether Temple plans to renew their contract with us,” Andrew Hansen, regional manager of the Edge, said. “Temple renews their contract on a yearly basis, as such, we have an agreement for this year and they generally let us know if they plan on renewing their contract early in the next year.”
Associate Vice President and Director of University Housing and Residential Life Michael Scales said that the addition of Morgan Hall next fall could play a factor in whether Temple renews its contract with the Edge.
“We are currently discussing how the inclusion of the 1,275 beds at Morgan Hall will impact our current lease with the Edge,” Scales said. “We have not made a decision yet. Demand for university owned and operated housing remains very high and Morgan Hall represents a tremendous opportunity for us to expand the services and resources Temple Housing offers our students.”
Even if the Edge becomes independent, students will still have the option to rent rooms there. If the Edge becomes independent from Temple, students interested in renting there will have to go through the Edge directly in order to obtain a lease.
The contract that the Edge has with Temple lowers the price for students to live at the Edge because it allows them to have nine-month leases, rather than signing a 12-month contract. Utility fees would not be impacted since the Edge does not charge an additional fee.
Temple’s contract with the Edge allows students to bypass the $325 that’s required if a student wants to lease directly through the Edge. This includes a $100 non-refundable lease-processing fee, the refundable $100 security deposit and the $125 reservation fee.
The Edge employs its own security and does not rely on Temple staff to serve as its security staff. There would still be personnel at the front desk of the complex, as well as security staff, Hansen said.
Senior Russian and English major Ryan Ellenbaum said that she’s excited for the opening of Morgan Hall. She said she wouldn’t be bothered if Temple discontinued its contract with the Edge.
“The new housing Temple is building already looks better,” Ellenbaum said. “It would be better to have the Edge be separate from Temple’s housing, since then, people wouldn’t be forced to live there and instead, could get better housing actually owned by Temple.”
Junior English major Kelly McGettigan, a student living at the Edge who went through Temple to rent there said she agreed and that she thought the only main positives of the Edge are its location and security.
“It wouldn’t matter to me whether Temple renews their contract with the Edge. I’m really excited for the new housing Temple’s building and I’d rather live there than at the Edge,” McGettigan said.
[Updated 15 October 2012 at 15:54]
Mary Kate Allison can be reached at mary.kathleen.allison@temple.edu.
This article is annoying because I am Ryan Ellenbaum and I am a female. Sigh.