Lynn Peisner
AUSTIN, TEXAS — InterFace Student Housing 2013 wrapped up last Friday at the Hilton Austin after several informative sessions, networking events and the sold-out Innovator Awards dinner and ceremony. The awards herald excellence in development, marketing, financing and other categories.
Two projects each won three awards for the first time: The Retreat San Marcos in Texas, developed by Landmark Properties with financing and eventual purchase by American Campus Communities, won awards for most creative financing, best architecture in a property of 200 beds or more, and best new development of a property with more than 200 beds. The last two categories were the most popular this year, garnering more than 30 entries combined.
The architect for the Retreat San Marcos was Niles Bolton Associates.
Cardinal Group Management swept the leasing and marketing category of the third annual Innovator Awards held in Austin, Texas on April 11.
Cardinal Group Management (CGM) swept the marketing and leasing categories, taking home three innovator awards for Auraria Student Lofts in Denver. CGM won for best social media campaign, best mobile marketing campaign and best marketing and lease-up program.
Accepting for CGM was Tealios, the community’s mascot (reminiscent of the Blue Man Group) who was partly responsible for the company's big wins. Cleverly using iPads on campus as well as signing leases via an easy-to-use and highly functional mobile site, he and staff members were largely responsible for CGM's turnaround of the troubled property. CGM has become somewhat famous for its ability to transform distressed assets into strong performers.
On-campus winners included American Campus Communities, which took home the best new development innovator award for University Pointe at College Station, a development at Portland State University (PSU) in Oregon. This project also won for best public-private partnership development. The $87.8 million mixed-use facility was responsible for transitioning PSU from a commuter school to a residential campus.
The InterFace Conference Group is part of Atlanta-based France Media, a business-to-business media company specializing in the markets of commercial real estate, hospitality, facilities management and maintenance, student housing, legal business, medical office buildings and seniors housing.