The economic slowdown has not stopped the expansion of upscale student housing – with new apartment complexes and private dorms competing to offer well-heeled Aggies luxurious amenities.
Two new apartment complexes and a private dorm are slated to open next fall, hoping to lure students with posh extras such as larger, fully furnished bedrooms, state-of-the-art hot tubs and screened-in patios overlooking swimming pools.
With more plush housing options, fewer incoming freshmen are opting for the no-frills arrangements of on-campus residence halls, said Ron Sasse, director of the department of Residence Life. In past years, there was not enough room to accommodate all the students who applied for on-campus housing.
“We have been able to keep the dorms full, but we certainly do not have an over supply,” Sasse said.
Students’ needs have fueled an apartment construction boom in recent years which has sharply increased competition among off-campus housing complexes, said Toni Bruner, manager of Campus Lodge, one of the new luxury apartment complexes.
“In 1997, their were 16,000 apartment units in College Station, and now there are over 25,000,” she said.
Market research has shown there is a large market for upscale student housing in College Station,, with freshmen, who typically live on-campus, willing to pay more for quiet atmospheres, larger living quarters and private bathrooms Bruner said
In the competition for affluent students, new properties must offer an array of perks and amenities, Bruner said.
Like The Tradition and The Calloway House, The Cambridge, opening in the fall, is geared toward freshmen seeking a residence hall atmosphere with apartment-style amenities. For example, in addition to a full kitchen in each unit, it also features a dining hall, said Joe Goodwin, leasing director of The Cambridge.
Laura Kinion, property manager of Aggie Station, a new luxury apartment complex, said that in the fact they are brand new makes them more appealing to students and their parents.
Students who currently live on or off campus said despite the economic slowdown, they are still willing to payfor luxury living arrangements.
Michelle Katz, a sophomore general studies major, said she signed a lease with Campus Lodge for next fall because she was willing to pay more for larger living quarters and other amenities.