Memorandum

To: Faynese Miller- President Hamline University

From: Luke Lindquist
Date: October 13, 2016
Subject: Proposal for Hamline University to purchase the Midway Motel
Purpose
In this proposal, I am requesting permission to research the feasibility of Hamline University
purchasing the Midway Motel and turning it into new dormitories for the Hamline campus. I
will write a report based on my findings and make a suggestion based off of my research. I
expect to submit my report by November 27th, 2016.
Summary
The Midway Motel is a cheap old motel near Hamline University. The motel attracts drugs and
crime which Hamline does not need or want so close to its campus. The dormitories known as
Peterson, Schilling, and Osborne are considered to be small and not a very good place to live. I
am proposing that Hamline purchases the Midway Motel, demolishes it, and turns it into a new
dormitory building.
I have commenced research on the Midway Motel and on Hamline being able to afford what I
am proposing. The research that I am proposing involves the cost of building a dormitory
building and how the new dorm building will affect the students living in it. I plan to have this
research completed and a report with my suggested actions accomplished by November 27th
2016.
Introduction
The Midway Motel is a cheap motel that sits across from Hamline University on Snelling
Avenue. The motel is a place in which drugs are sold and violence occurs. The latest example
of this occurred in March of 2016 when two men were shot and killed at the motel over what was
said to be drug debt. (Sawyer, L; Libor, J, 2016) The violence and crime at this motel is an issue
especially because of how close Hamline University is to the motel.
The dormitories at Hamline are subpar and are not supposed to be a permanent solution for
freshman housing. The three buildings known as Osborne, Schilling, and Peterson contain dorm
rooms that are considered too small and bathrooms that are not big enough to accommodate for
an entire floor of people.
It costs around $2 to $3 per square foot in order to demolish a building (How to Determine
Building Demolition Cost.). The cost of purchasing the motel; plus the cost of demolishing it
and putting up a dormitory complex, would be rather expensive. However Hamline in 2014
recorded $233,530,811 in total assets making an operation like this not out of the question. (C,
October 2014) The dormitory operation would also make the university more money because
the new dorms would bring in more undergraduate students and keep more students living on
campus.
Proposed Procedure
In this section of the proposal I will discuss the research that I have completed and the research
that I am proposing.
Completed Research

I have conducted research on the Midway Motel and any news worthy events involving
the motel.
I have researched the cost of demolishing a building.
I have researched the amount of money that Hamline University is worth
I researched the number of students that attend Hamline University.

Proposed Research

Relationship between dormitory conditions and academic success.

Cost of building a new dormitory building.
Monetary worth of an older motel.
The amount of time it would take to demolish the motel, and build new dormitories.
How Hamlines campus living conditions compare to other schools of its size.
I will create a questionnaire asking the students about the living conditions in Peterson,
Osborne, and Schilling dormitories.

Criteria
After completing my research I will make recommendations based on the following:

Is purchasing the motel and turning it into a dormitory financially viable for Hamline?
Are enough students unhappy with the living conditions in the current dormitories to
warrant a change?
Would the new dormitories affect academic success either positively or negatively?

Qualifications
I am a student at Hamline University with a cumulative GPA of 3.27. I have been a student at
Hamline University since the fall of 2014 and have lived in the Hamline dormitories from the fall
of 2014 until the spring of 2016. I have done research in several past classes while being a
student at Hamline on a variety of topics that includes politics, multinational corporations, and
nonprofit organizations.

Schedule
Date
10/23/2016
10/30/2016
11/13/2016
11/27/2016
11/27/2016

Objective
Questionnaire
Progress Report
Rough Draft of Feasibility Report
Final Draft of Feasibility Report
Feasibility Power Point Presentation

References
How to Determine Building Demolition Cost, Retrieved 2016, from
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/determine-building-demolition-costs-15447.html

Sawyer, L; Libor, J.(2016, March 25) 2 more arrests made in fatal motel shootings: A robbery
charge was also filed in alleged drug deal disagreement. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN).
Retrieved 2016, from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1775741801?accountid=28109

Hamline University of Minnesota Financial Statements years ended 2014 and 2015