Nicholson Apartments are “slated for demolition,” according to an interim report from the Economic Research Associate’s, a group hired by the University to evaluate the stretch of land including Alex Box Stadium and the apartments.  Emmett David, director of Facility Services, said he could not confirm the information. “I have not seen the report,” David said. “I have not requested approval from the state to demolish the complex nor been asked to approve plans to demolish the complex.”David said there is a possibility for demolition “years down the road.””There is a master plan to redevelop that track of land,” David said. “I can safely say that they will not be torn down within the next two or three years.”Eric Monday, interim vice chancellor of Finance and Administrative Services, was not available for comment Wednesday because of University preparations for Tropical Storm Gustav, which is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico in the next few days. Staci Pepitone, assistant vice chancellor of Finance and Administrative Services, could not confirm plans to demolish the Nicholson Apartments. Steve Waller, director of Residential Life, said he also has not seen the report and could not confirm the information.The University brought in consultants from ERA to “study the surrounding community and property and determine the economic possibilities for that site,” Pepitone said.  “Especially for a property by the front gates and so visible to the community, we want to see what possibilities are out there,” she said. “We’re just trying to find the best use for this land.”ERA evaluated the location and market for effectiveness as graduate and faculty housing, retail, office space or hotels.The University received an initial report from ERA summarizing the evaluation, which Pepitone said could include “several inaccuracies.”Pepitone said the University will receive ERA’s final report by Sunday. “The report will be a starting point for discussion,” Pepitone said. “What those conversations are, I don’t know yet. As of right now, the University has no pre-conceived notions of what we want the report to say.”Wesley LeBlanc, associate consultant at ERA, said he evaluated the site in early June but could not comment on his findings. LeBlanc also said he couldn’t specify what factors he considered during his evaluation. “I can’t talk about the details of the project,” LeBlanc said. “There are confidentiality issues.”Pepitone said she expects students will be involved in discussions of the use of the site. “We haven’t talked about what the process is to generate conversations,” Pepitone said. “But students are our most important constituency, so we want to hear their opinion.”Waller said the scheduled demolition of Alex Box Stadium, which isn’t expected to occur until early next year, started conversations about evaluating the area. “Because they’re tearing down Alex Box Stadium, there’s a lot of real estate over there,” Waller said. “There are several entities interested in that space. We need to look at the area comprehensively.”The Nicholson Apartments were completed in 1964 and consist of 578 apartments in 16 buildings.The apartments are reserved for families and graduate students. The only other University housing reserved for this purpose is the Edward Gay Apartments.—-Contact  Katie Kennedy at [email protected]