Student Housing

BLACKSBURG, VA. — Greystar will redevelop an 11.5-acre site near Virginia Tech University into 424 student housing units. Sturbridge Square Apartments currently sits at the property, which is located at 1001 University City Blvd., one mile north of campus. The developer expects to break ground on the development this summer, with completion slated for fall 2022. Sturbridge Square Apartments currently comprises 11 buildings. The new community will offer six buildings offering one- through four-bedroom floor plans as well as townhomes. Communal amenities will include green recreational space, a half basketball court, swimming pool and a picnic area. David Eyzenberg of Eyzenberg & Co. with help from analyst Fan Yu structured the ground-lease on behalf of Sturbridge Square LLC and procured Greystar to develop the student housing community. BSB Design Inc. is serving as the architect of the redevelopment.

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NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Redevelopment Fund (NORF) has received a $45 million loan to convert the Warwick Hotel in downtown New Orleans into student housing for Tulane University medical students. The 12-story building will offer 154 units that are expected to be move-in ready by August 2021. The property is situated at 1315 Gravier St., adjacent to Tulane University Medical School. Tulane University has signed a long-term lease with NORF. The community will feature ground-level retail space, a full-service restaurant, coffee shop and patio seating. As part of the $45 million construction loan, Hancock Whitney Bank provided bridge financing and Midland State Bank provided Historic Tax Credits to the developer. The Warwick Hotel was originally built in 1952 and has sat dormant since Hurricane Katrina hit the city. Hernandez Consulting & Construction will serve as the general contractor, and Albert Architecture and SCNZ are the project’s architects.

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The coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a widespread impact on the off-campus student housing industry. Many off-campus owners and operators are grappling with a growing number of universities canceling in-person classes, and in some instances, ordering students to vacate their campuses and residence halls altogether. On Wednesday, March 25, Student Housing Business (SHB) held a complimentary webinar on the impact of COVID-19 on the off-campus student housing industry. The webinar had nearly 2,000 attendees. During the panel discussion, six owners and operators weighed in on best practices and operations advice for employees at both the corporate- and property-level, as well as the potential impact of the pandemic on turn — the student housing industry’s intense summer period when units are cleaned, refurbished and rehabbed — and leasing for fall 2020.  Randy Shearin, editor of SHB, led the discussion. Speakers included Casey Petersen, COO of Peak Campus; Chris Richards, executive director of real estate operations at Greystar; Adam Byrley, COO of The Preiss Co.; Grant Collard, CEO of Redstone Residential; Alex O’Brien, COO of Cardinal Group; and Miles Orth, EVP and COO of Campus Apartments. Click here to listen to the full webinar: COVID-19 and the Impact on Student Housing Residents, Employees, Operations, …

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CLEMSON, S.C. — Alexandria Va.-based MultiVersity Housing Partners has acquired The Ridge, a 616-bed student housing community located near Clemson University in South Carolina. The property was built in 2018 and offers two- and four-bedroom, apartment- and townhome-style units with bed-to-bath parity. Shared amenities include a pool with a lazy river, dog park, clubhouse, private shuttle to campus and a fitness center. MultiVersity Property Management (MVPM) will oversee management of the community. The seller and further details of the transaction were not disclosed.

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STATESBORO, GA. — Berkadia has arranged the sale of 111 South, a 709-bed student housing community located near Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. Kevin Larimer, Greg Gonzalez and Judy MacManus of Berkadia represented the seller, a partnership between Artemis Real Estate Partners and The Preiss Co., in the transaction. The community was acquired by Centurion Property Group for an undisclosed price. Pete Benedetto and Aaron Moll, also with Berkadia, originated an acquisition loan through Basis Investment Group on behalf of the buyer. The property was built in 2013 and offers two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom units with bed-to-bath parity and furniture packages. Communal amenities include a pool with a lazy river, a water volleyball court, 24-hour fitness center and a cyber lounge.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have separately announced nationwide initiatives to provide financial relief for their multifamily borrowers and tenants affected by the outbreak of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). The two government-sponsored enterprises are enacting programs that allow their borrowers to defer monthly payments for up to 90 days by showing hardship as a consequence of COVID-19 and by gaining lender approval. Additionally, participants in the program must agree to not evict their renters who are facing financial hardship due to the current health crisis. The agencies anticipate the initiatives could impact more than 54,000 apartment communities across the country. “This program is historic in its size, and it has the potential to provide relief to millions of families in multifamily rental homes financed through a Freddie Mac loan,” says Debby Jenkins, executive vice president and head of Freddie Mac Multifamily, which implemented a similar forbearance plan in 2017 following Hurricane Harvey in Houston. “Countless Americans are facing unimaginable hardships, and Freddie Mac is doing what we can to provide relief as our nation addresses this global pandemic,” says Jenkins. The outbreak of COVID-19 is likely to push the United States into a recession as the …

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bowie-state-university

BOWIE, MD. — Developer Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions is underway on a 557-bed student housing and mixed-use development in Bowie, a northeastern suburb of Washington, D.C. The 170,000-square-foot development will house students of Bowie State University and will also be the site of the Bowie Business Innovation Center, a program for business acceleration in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The development is slated to open in fall 2021. The project cost will be approximately $42 million. “This partnership allows the university to support its growing student body with much-needed modern housing options and provides a dedicated place for the creative leaders of tomorrow to develop their knowledge and skills as they prepare to enter the business world upon graduation,” says Bob Shepko, president of Balfour Beatty. The development will also house the university’s Entrepreneurship Academy, which will help students develop their own business opportunities and better navigate the greater business world. Other project features include a variety of amenities, including a fitness center, laundry facilities, community kitchens, parking and flexible classroom space. The project is primarily funded with tax-exempt bonds through the Maryland Economic Development Corp. Balfour Beatty Construction is and Smoot Construction are serving as contractors for …

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The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is being felt across every sector of the U.S. economy as the virus continues to spread worldwide. The student housing industry is not exempt, as the number of colleges and universities canceling in-person classes continues to grow, with some requesting that students vacate residence halls immediately for the remainder of the spring semester. The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. has climbed to 10,442 and the death toll has risen to 150 as of March 19, according to The New York Times coronavirus case map. President Trump declared a national emergency on March 13, which gave him authority to use $50 billion allocated by congress for disaster relief to address the coronavirus crisis. The Trump administration broadened the government’s response to the pandemic on Wednesday, spelling out the first details of a $1 trillion economic package that requests an infusion of $500 billion for direct payments to taxpayers and $500 billion in loans for businesses from Congress, according to reports by The New York Times. President Trump also invoked a seldom-used wartime law that allows the government to press American industry into service to ramp up production of medical supplies. University and College Closures Universities are taking …

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CLEMSON, S.C. — The Preiss Co. has broken ground on Signature Hartwell Village, a planned 433-bed student housing community that will service Clemson University students. The property is located at 13060 Clemson Blvd., less than one mile from campus. Communal amenities will include a 24-foot jumbotron, fire pits, grills, dog park, cornhole court, pool with in-water lounging deck, cabana with misters, lounge room with an 82-inch TV, fitness center, access to study rooms and a package locker system. The property will offer one- to four-bedroom floor plans, each equipped with a 50-inch smart TV, furniture, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, plank vinyl flooring throughout the unit and in-unit laundry. BSB Design is the architect on the project and Boarman Kroos Vogel Group Inc. is serving as the interior designer. Preiss expects the community to open in fall 2021. Signature Hartwell Village will be part of the 45-acre Hartwell Village mixed-use development. Hartwell Village features residential, dining options and retail space, including Aldi, Petco, Marshalls and multiple hotels.

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Victory-Portland-Los-Angeles-CA

LOS ANGELES — Champion Real Estate Co. has purchased a student housing community located at 2353 Portland St. in Los Angeles. Century Park sold the asset for $14.1 million. Champion plans to rebrand the property as Victory on Portland and renovate the complex, which was built in 1964. The renovations will change Victory on Portland into a 102-bed property offering units with stainless steel appliances, HVAC units, stone countertops, modern cabinetry and laminate wood flooring. The apartments will be fully furnished with beds, couches, chairs, coffee tables, dining tables, flat-screen televisions, cable, internet, Wi-Fi, Sonos soundbars and other amenities. On-site amenities will include an updated swimming pool, amenity deck, student lounge and leasing office. John Taksa of RE/MAX Commercial & Investment Realty represented the buyer and seller in the transaction.

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