MADISON, WIS. — ACRES Capital LLC has originated a $26.3 million loan for the acquisition of Aberdeen Apartments in Madison. The high-rise student housing property is located near the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The 12-story building features 224 beds across 77 units along with two commercial suites. The property’s total net rentable area is 69,033 square feet. Loan terms were not provided.
AURORA, ILL. — Waterton has provided a $16 million preferred equity investment for the development of the Residences at Eastbank, a 258-unit apartment complex in downtown Aurora. Chicago-based DAC Developments is developing the five-story project with additional support from the City of Aurora. Geneva Capital Group arranged the financing and also provided a $45 million senior loan for the development on behalf of its bank syndication program. Construction began in May and is slated for completion in 2026. The Residences at Eastbank is situated on the eastern edge of the Fox River adjacent to Aurora Transportation Center with Metra service to downtown Chicago. The property will include a mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom residences. Amenities will include an outdoor atrium with a resort-style pool, fitness center, outdoor seating and an indoor parking garage.
DEERFIELD, ILL. — Skender has broken ground on Deerfield Supportive Living, a 147-unit supportive living development in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield. Developed by Celadon Partners, the four-story building will offer affordable senior living apartments at 1101 Lake Cook Road. The project will feature dining rooms, space for private dining and events, activity rooms, a library, salon and general store. Slated for completion in mid-2026, the project is pursuing Enterprise Green Communities Building certification, which was developed to align affordable housing investment strategies with environmentally friendly building practices. Deerfield Supportive Living will feature eco-friendly paint, coatings, plumbing fixtures, lighting, heating equipment and appliances. The project team includes Assemble Design Workshop as architect and SAS Architects & Planners as interior designer.
As the student housing sector readies for a new generation of students to enter campuses — Generation Alpha — a few of the ‘tried and true’ amenity spaces that were hot with millennials or Gen Z have fallen by the wayside. Golf simulators, movie theaters and bohemian styling with baskets and lots of greenery are just a few of the once popular design choices that are now on the outs, according to Lucy Harrison, brand marketing manager with SouthPark Interiors. Gone, too, are the days of designing one ‘Instagramable’ moment for your building and calling it a day, says Chelsea Kloss, executive vice president of design and curation with LV Collective. “Students want to live in a building that is beautiful and inspiring from all angles — not just with one space built for ‘the gram,’” she says. “They want not only to capture more organic content to share, but to experience it real-time. As designers, that challenges us to push the envelope on experiential design and the importance of finishing all aspects of a built environment.” Students’ desires for their fitness and wellness spaces have also seen a shift over the past few years, according to Kloss. “Designing …
MURFREESBORO, TENN. — Crescent Communities has broken ground on RENDER Manchester Farm, a 309-unit apartment community located on a 35-acre farm in the Middle Tennessee city of Murfreesboro. The Charlotte-based developer expects to open first units in summer 2026. Situated 30 miles south of Nashville, RENDER Manchester Farm will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, as well as rural-centric amenities including a functioning farm, garden, fully stocked toolshed and a clubhouse with a front porch and swings. Other amenities will include a pool area with a smoker, fire pit and picnic tables, as well as a dog park and a fitness center with a yoga studio. The design-build team includes Crescent Communities Construction, Dwell Design Studio, Edge and Huddleston-Steele Engineering. Capital partners include ParkProperty Capital, BOK Financial and Cadence Bank.
FORT MYERS, FLA. — Encore Multifamily, a division of Dallas-based Encore Enterprises, has obtained a $48.7 million HUD 221(d)(4) loan for the construction of a new apartment development in Fort Myers. The project, known as Encore Daniel Falls, will comprise 240 Class A apartments and be situated on 6.7 acres near I-75 and South Florida International Airport. Encore Multifamily broke ground on the development in December and expects to deliver the community by third-quarter 2026. Upon completion, Encore Daniels Falls will feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, as well as a clubhouse, fitness center, business center, pool, dog park and a 24-hour package room.
CLARKSVILLE, TENN. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the $20.1 million sale of Airport Place Apartments, a 121-unit multifamily community located on an eight-acre site near Clarksville Regional Airport and Fort Campbell. Charlie Smith of Marcus & Millichap procured the buyer, Mastermind Multifamily Investments, in the transaction. Gloria Gregory of Marcus & Millichap’s Knoxville office represented the seller, Todd Morris of Morris Properties. Jody McKibben served as Marcus & Millichap’s broker of record in Tennessee for the deal. Built in 2023, Airport Place features onsite property management and units include smart security systems, eat-in kitchens, washers and dryers and walk-in closets.
BERKELEY, CALIF. — Gilbane Development Co. has broken ground on Pique, a 485-bed student housing project located at 2587 Telegraph Ave. near the University of California (UC) Berkeley campus. The eight-story community will offer 52 units with bed-to-bath parity. Shared amenities will include an indoor and outdoor fitness center and yoga studio, outdoor study space, a cabana area, two rooftop decks, a coworking lounge, smart food lockers, private study pods and 2,900 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The project will begin leasing in fall 2025 with occupancy scheduled for summer 2026. The development site was formerly occupied by retailer Buffalo Exchange. “We are focused on making every inch count with efficiency, privacy and functionality at the core of the design, driving innovation that caters to the needs of Berkeley students at an affordable price point,” says Christian Cerria, development director with Gilbane.
VINELAND, N.J. — New Jersey-based brokerage firm The Kislak Co. Inc. has negotiated the $12 million sale of Park Towne Apartments, a 108-unit multifamily complex located outside of Philadelphia in Vineland. Built in 1952, Park Towne Apartments comprises 63 one-bedroom units, 36 two-bedroom units, two two-bedroom units with terraces and a rental office. Joni Sweetwood of Kislak represented the seller and procured the buyer, both of which were limited liability companies, in the transaction. Park Towne Apartments was fully occupied at the time of sale.
NEW YORK CITY — Merchants Capital has provided $129.1 million in financing for the renovation of three affordable housing developments located on the east side of The Bronx borough in New York City. The renovations will total $419.6 million, according to Merchants Capital. Comprising 952 units across six residential buildings, the properties include Boston Road Plaza, Boston Secor and Middletown Plaza. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, owns and manages the trio of affordable housing communities. Merchants Capital provided a New York Housing Development Corp. (NYHDC) Freddie Mac Risk Share loan under the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. The properties will transition to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 program as part of HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion platform. The Bronx Revitalization Collaborative (BRC), a joint venture between Beacon Communities, Kalel Cos. and MBD Community Housing Corp., is leading renovations at the properties in partnership with NYCHA. Renovations will include upgrades to interiors, exteriors and shared spaces; bathroom and kitchen improvements; new doors, flooring and paint; new roofs; modernized elevators; complimentary Wi-Fi; and upgrades to the HVAC and plumbing systems. Repairs are currently underway …