The increased enrollment at the University of Nevada, Renoswelled residence halls to 121percent capacity, forcingstudents to triple up in rooms meant for two.
UNR President Marc Johnson said the school's total population will probably reach 30,000 in the next five years despite their efforts to throttle down enrollment. Today, that populationis closer to 22,000.
Buta bane for students and the school is a boon for developers.
Private housing companies started taking advantage of thatincreaseddemand, andby fall 2017, plan to open two new student apartment buildingsahead of the university'sone dorm planned for 2018.
UNR dorm life: Crowded at 121% of capacity
UNR's future dorm gets named Great Basin Hall
Here is a list of upcoming student housing projects that will increase the density and height of the university neighborhood.
Identity Reno
Of future housing projects, Identity Reno,across from Lawlor Events Center on Virginia and 15th streets, is the furthest along in construction. Karyn Eck, general manager, said they plan to finish the building on Aug. 24. The leasing office has started taking renters.
When completed, Identity Reno will stand at seven storieswith 105 units and 325 beds, according to city of Reno permits. The first two floors are parking. The apartment building will feature a rooftop deck with fire pit, study rooms, game room lounge andupgraded penthouse features on the top floor, Eck said.
Rent starts at $600 permonth up to about $1,000 per month for units ranging fromfive-bedroom common units to single-occupant studios.
"It's a great time in the market," Eck said."The housing need here is crazy. Putting this up here now as close to the university as possible, it’s just kind of the right time."
Towers at Pink Hill
The smallest of the projects, Pink Hill Properties started construction across from the Church Fine Arts Building on Virginia and 14th streets. Developers plan to finish it in time for fall 2017.
This one will include a ground floor of retail and restaurants, with 23 units capable of housing 53 residents within four stories.
Co-CEOs Kevinn Pinkney and Garry Hill-Thomas — thus, Pink Hill— both played Wolf Pack basketball in 2003-04 and laterplayed professional basketball. Hill-Thomas is an assistant coach with the Reno Bighorns. Together, they opened Keys Cafe in South Lake Tahoe.
This is their first property development project. Pricing is not yet available and specific retailers have not all been chosen.
Great Basin Hall
Planned for fall 2018, Great Basin Hall broke ground earlier this year to replace the older White Pine Hall. It sits between Lincoln Hall, the Pennington Student Achievement Center and the Virginia Street Gym on Virginia Street and College Drive.
This student-fee and state-bond funded dorm would cost about $57 million and hold 430 beds. The university plans to theme the building for STEM students — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — "to promote academic success within these disciplines," according to a brochure.
Pricing is not yet available.
The Standard at Reno
The student housing project that planned to bulldoze a block of houses and apartmentson Lake and Sixth streets this summerhas been delayed until next year, said Jessica Sferrazza, a lobbyist for landownerand property manager, Italian Capital.
Italian Capital still owns the block, according to Washoe County records, despite Landmark Properties, the developer of The Standard at Reno student housing project, telling the RGJ they would begin construction over the summer.
Italian Capitalbegan renting out a few of the apartmentsand housesagainafter almost 100 people were evicted on June 30. The new move out date is May 15, 2017, according toCraigslist postings.
"Property has sold so we can only rent until then," according to the post.
Carolyn Giudici, the rental manager for Italian Capital, said they needed to rent a few apartments out again to pay mortgages and property taxes. Most of the houses on the block are still boarded up.
Siegel Group to take those displaced by student housing
Update: Downtown student housing to open fall 2018
The Standard at Reno would be one of the largest future private student housing projects with 800 units and luxury amenities. It was originally planned for fall 2018. It's unclear if it will still make this deadline. Landmark Properties CEO said there was nothing new to report in August and did not return more recent requests for comment.
More on the horizon
Dr. Murray Rosenthal, a retireddoctor, owns several apartment buildings and recently converted an old apartment building into housing for homeless veterans. He purchased six parcels on Virginia and 15th streetsacross from the future E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center still under construction. Heplans to convert those parcels into student housing.
His plans are still in very early stages, as not all of the parcels are assembled and he still needs to choosea housing company to manage it. He said he wants to do his best to make the building sustainable and provide healthy food options for students. Beyond his personal vision, noother plans were set in stone.
The university has also discussed possible dorms south of campus on Center and Eighth streets, but that is also a ways off while the university figures out how to deal with historic houses and plan other campus construction in that area.
Also south of campus, a series of parcels between Evans Avenue, Record and Ninth streets were up for sale, billed as prime real estate for student housing. Johnson said a developer planning several floors of student housing and a parking garage fell through and he doesn't know if any new plans started. The land is no longer listed online.
Mike Higdon is the city life reporter at the RGJ and can be found on Instagram@MillennialMikeand on Facebook atMike Higdon, Reno Life.
