About a decade ago, University of Akron students had few housing options — rental houses, maybe dorm rooms, if available.
But UA has built or purchased five residence halls in the past few years, and the fifth private housing project geared specifically to students is underway near campus.
Even with the flood of student beds, spokeswoman Jessica Nix of Peak Campus Management in Atlanta said the fledgling University Edge won’t have any trouble leasing rooms starting in fall 2014.
“We’ve been very successful in competitive markets,” said Nix, vice president of marketing for the company that will operate the complex. The project is being co-developed by Hallmark Campus Communities of Columbus and Akron-based LRC Realty.
“This product will do well in this market compared to what currently exists,” she said.
The $40 million University Edge will offer 578 beds and individual bathrooms in two- , three- and four-bedroom apartments with major appliances, granite countertops and leather living room furniture.
The complex will include tanning beds, free Internet and cable and a “resort-style” swimming pool. Retail stores — Penn Station and Chipotle have signed contracts — will occupy the ground floor.
It will be cheaper than housing at UA, which has built four residence halls and purchased the Quaker Square for student housing over the past decade.
Starting in August, students in on-campus housing will pay anywhere from $680 to $1,034 per month for nine months, compared to $495 to $613 monthly for a 12-month contract in fall 2014 at University Edge.
In either university or private housing, a meal plan on campus (or groceries) is extra.
In an email, John Messina, UA assistant vice president for student engagement and success, said that “reservations for on-campus student housing are following historic patterns at this point, with two months to go before we can provide firm numbers.”
Since enrollment is expected to be down by about 4 percent this fall, housing reservations also are down slightly, he said.
“We are still looking at the bigger picture of how we will handle student demand for on-campus housing as we consider our options with some of our older buildings,” he said.
Other private student housing projects around UA include: 22 Exchange, which is starting its fifth year; EnVision Apartments on Grant Street, which is starting its third; 401 Lofts at Cedar and Main Streets, which will open in August; and the Depot on South Broadway property formerly owned by the Akron Beacon Journal, which is under construction.
The University Edge leasing center will open this fall. Details are available online at www.UniversityEdgeAkron.com.
Carol Biliczky can be reached at cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3729.