After months of discussion, a plan to bring student housing to downtown Dearborn to serve the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus is expected to soon become a reality.

The existing building (foreground) will be connected via corridor to a new 4-story building (background).

The apartments will be located directly across from the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus at 760 and 780 Town Center Drive, the road that circles the Fairlane Mall. These two buildings formerly housed Ford engine engineers.

In addition to the two existing buildings, construction on an all-new four-story building is expected to begin this year at the same location. Corridors will also be constructed to connect the new building with the two existing structures. In all, there will be 506 beds consisting of studio and three- and four bedroom apartments, according to Bowers and Associates, the architect for the project.

One of the buildings also would serve as a student union hall where students could gather and purchase food.

In this rendering, all three buildings for University of Michigan-Dearborn student housing can be seen.

 A fourth building could be build at this same location if demand exceeds apartment availability.

The apartments, which will be privately owned rather than managed by the U-M Dearborn, are targeted to open in August 2012, according to the architect for the project.

Just how many of the current 8,700 students at the University of Michigan-Dearborn will utilize the apartments isn’t known but being able to offer student housing is expected to help the university reach its target of growing to 12,000 students by 2012.

This project has been a long-time coming and could go a long way towards helping the Fairlane Town Center, as well as downtown West Dearborn.