University Students Prefer Schools With Attractive Housing Options, Even In San Marcos
by Mary Scott Nabers & Melissa Jewett
Student housing is a critical component when it comes to recruiting students and retaining them through graduation. Young men and women want to live in modern, purpose-built housing within walking distance of campuses.
Some will settle for nothing less – and that is driving a tidal wave of demand for modern, appealing housing options on campuses throughout the country.
Thousands of student-housing projects will be completed in 2019 because the recruiting of students is about as competitive as it gets, and institutions of higher education cannot survive without student growth and retention.
There are approximately 5,300 colleges and universities in the U.S., and half of them are accredited four-year institutions. The projections are that the demand for student housing will not subside anytime soon.
In May, Texas State University System (TSUS) released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), which starts their first of three new “developments of collegiate student housing.” View proposed a location for the first of three student housing developments.
According to the RFQ, Texas State University is the largest of the campus’ in the TSUS. They are currently offering 98 undergraduate bachelor, 93 master and 14 doctoral degree programs.
Texas State is the 30th largest university in the United States (as measured by the 2017 enrollment) and the 14th largest in terms of on campus, undergraduate population.
In June 2018, the Texas State University System Board of Regents discussed the authorization to acquire a 14-acre parcel off of Sessom Drive across from the Texas State Campus.
Casey Development proposed a mixed-use project for the same parcel of land in 2011. From 2011 to 2013, Casey negotiated various projects for the site.
The final proposal that was denied in 2013 would use 9.5 acres, which included 2.33 acres of on-site open space. The city would also have the option of receiving an additional 4.6 acres of parkland. Casey agreed to follow water quality and environmental measures that exceeded the requirements of the city code.
Ultimately, the City of San Marcos City Council denied the Casey Development.
Last month, the San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing to consider a Conditional Use Permit request from 75 Sylvan Street for a Conditional Use Permit to allow a purpose-built student housing development located on Guadalupe Street between San Antonio Street and MLK Drive.
Commissioners voted 7-1 to deny the request with Commissioner Matthew Haverland absent and Commissioner Gabrielle Moore voting no. The vote came after two presentations and a lengthy discussion.
Several residents spoke against more purpose-built student housing, stating that the city didn’t have the students to fill the bedrooms.
Commission Chair, Jim Garber, said he had reached out to several complexes around the city and confirmed that many of them were not fully occupied.
“I got on the phone today and called some of those places, and I couldn’t find a single one that was full,” Garber said. “They were all more than willing to rent me a room—with big incentives and aggressive. So, I don’t see the demand.”
According to the Texas State University Systems RFQ,
“The University’s goal is to enable the University to further its mission with regards to education, expanding research, fostering entrepreneurial activities, and promoting economic development. To maximize the University’s resources for investment in academic expansion, and to leverage the creative problem-solving capacity of the marketplace, the University plans to pursue development of the Project through private financing secured by lease revenues.
To accommodate the rising number of freshmen and continuing student housing needs, the University will need approximately 700 additional beds to serve incoming freshmen for the Fall 2021 semester. To achieve its on-campus housing goals, the University is seeking a qualified development team to develop a minimum of 2,100 dormitory-style beds over the course of three phases, with the first 700 beds coming online by Fall of 2021.”
However, not only does the TSUS and Texas State see a capacity problem in San Marcos, but several universities around the country are also facing the same problem.
In California, state officials are currently seeking ways to purchase and then repurpose or demolish an outdated building in downtown San Jose. The San Jose State University wants to locate a student housing facility on the site because the location is “so great.” If everything goes as planned, the site will be redeveloped as mixed-use retail/residential for students and faculty.
Officials at Bluefield State College in West Virginia also want to launch a construction project for on-campus student housing. There are plans under consideration to construct four buildings, each of which will house students.
The College of Law on the University of Hastings’ campus in San Francisco may soon have student housing. College officials are in talks to purchase property and construct a 14-story tower to house students. The law school envisions an “academic village,” and the student housing tower would be open for the college’s own students as well as students from other, nearby universities.
Officials at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, recently announced an exploratory phase for adding more campus housing to accommodate growing student enrollment. After making numerous innovative adaptations to address a housing shortage in the past few years, including providing incentives for students to live off-campus, university leaders say they must now provide new student housing.
The Governing Board of Palomar Community College in North San Diego recently hired a consultant to conduct a feasibility study regarding building student housing on the 200-acre campus. School officials know that the need for student housing is acute. Recommendations call for building a 750-bed housing facility, with units available by 2022 or 2023.
Community colleges have not been known for offering student housing, but they now are reversing that stance. Another community college, Lake Tahoe Community College in Nevada, is also exploring plans to build on-campus student residences. School officials say they are drafting a solicitation document targeted to developers interested in partnering with the college on a student housing project. They are also exploring designs and budgets for a tiny home village to be sited on campus, which would be ready as early as the 2020-21 school year.
Colorado State University administrators are in the planning phase for designing new residence halls and a new dining facility. The project will be called Meridian Village. A design team will soon begin work on new student residences with a target of adding 600 additional beds. Preliminary plans call for 300 new beds available for fall 2021 and another 300 available by fall 2023.
Commissioners in Cobb County, Georgia, are close to ending a nearly two-year moratorium on the new construction of apartments for college students. The county has proposed new zoning regulations that would allow purpose-built housing for students and faculty of local colleges and universities. The new code clears the way for Kennesaw State University to pursue plans to build student housing projects near its Marietta Campus.
Officials at Virginia Tech recently approved a $1.66 billion budget that would designate millions in funding to build new residence halls to meet the university’s surging enrollment. The board approved a number of capital projects, including the Global Business and Analytics Complex Residence Halls, which will house 700 students. The project is estimated at $84 million, with funding from the Virginia General Assembly. The board also approved a $33 million plan to demolish construct a new 300-bed dorm in its place and a strategic plan that outlines strategies to provide more campus housing.
There are no projections for a decline in the demand for student housing projects in 2020, so interested contractors have ample time to begin getting acquainted with college and university officials who will be making project decisions throughout 2019 and into 2020.
The demand for housing is a huge boon to construction firms … but that’s not all. The projects result in increased needs for lighting, technology, furniture, equipment, appliances, landscaping, and more. Companies of all types are benefitting from the increased demand.
Did Casey Development write this? lol joking aside, this does seem pretty one sided.
What about the affordable housing crisis in San Marcos? I see the City’s point. Why should we keep building these big fancy apartments when we already have a surplus of big fancy apartments. There’s a huge need for affordable housing for both students and permanent residents
CITIZEN: Gosh, why don’t we let TSUS build student domitories wherever they want to build them?
CORRUPT GOV: Well, see, TSUS already has the power to do that anywhere they want.
CITIZEN: So, why the problem, why don’t they provide housing as they are supposed to do, and on their own campus?
CORRUPT GOV: Listen up kid, TSUS takes care of me and mine, and all you do is complain. If the board of regents wants their business assocatiates to convert your, I mean our residential community into a by-the-room rental industry, YOU had bettter start using those bicycles lanes we built, because the TSUS kids are going to need reasonable street parking, including your driveway and the garage too. You can chain your bike to the back fence, and don’t forget “Net Impact of Texas State” = Everybody Wins !!! (unless you’re a nobody).