Date: 2008-09-16
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Construction has begun on a $221 million student housing project that combines desirable amenities with many green features and will allow UC Irvine to lead the University of California system in the percentage of student population housed on campus. In addition, the project will enable UCI to move closer to its 50 percent on-campus housing goal.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Construction has begun on a $221 million student housing project that combines desirable amenities with many green features and will allow UC Irvine to lead the University of California system in the percentage of student population housed on campus. In addition, the project will enable UCI to move closer to its 50 percent on-campus housing goal.
American Campus Communities of Austin, Texas, will oversee building and management of the project – its third at UCI. ACC developed and currently manages two phases of housing totaling 3,052 beds – Vista del Campo, which opened in 2004, and Vista del Campo Norte, which opened in 2006. ACC garnered numerous accolades for these two phases, including Best Student Housing Apartment Community by the National Association of Home Builders and the California Homebuilding Foundation Gold Nugget Award.
ACC’s third student housing phase on campus will include 1,763 new undergraduate and graduate beds and will open in fall 2010.
“We believe that the combined UC Irvine East Campus Student Housing – phases one, two and three – represents the largest privatized student housing project in the United States whether measured by residents, dollars or square feet,” said Wendell Brase, administrative & business services vice chancellor. “With this project, and others, UCI will substantially increase the on-campus residential community. Transforming commuters into residents is one of the greenest actions any campus can take. This project sets the bar for student housing across the nation.”
The project was designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s Gold LEED certification. The community will optimize energy and water efficiencies and is situated on campus to promote the use of public transportation, bicycles and walkways. Additionally, it will reduce light pollution, waste water and construction waste, and utilize regional materials. At move-in, students can expect fluorescent lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures, tankless water heaters, and drought-tolerant landscaping irrigated with reclaimed water. The project will be a part of UCI’s green building education program that includes sustainable curriculum and building tours.
“The partnership between American Campus and UCI has produced one of the most successful privatization relationships our industry has ever seen,” said Bill Bayless, American Campus Communities CEO. “We commend UCI for its commitment to developing modern student communities in an academic environment while achieving vanguard sustainable building standards. This next phase of housing is the best of all worlds.”
The residential project is divided into two communities on separate sites on the UCI east campus. The 1,198-bed undergraduate complex features three-story townhome units with two- and four-bedroom units and private bedrooms throughout. The undergraduate community center boasts social lounges, a business center, computer lab, and conference, meeting and study spaces. Outdoor amenities include a swimming pool, spa, sundeck and a poolside kitchen.
The 562-bed graduate community features studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartment units. The graduate center offers study and meeting rooms, a business center and a multipurpose event room with kitchen. Outdoor amenities include social areas and bike storage. Both communities will be served by a centralized parking structure designed to increase overall land-use efficiency. It will accommodate occasional student residential car use, although on-campus transportation will comprise a shuttle system, personal and rental bicycles, car-sharing program and walking.
The project was designed by KTGY Group, Inc. and is being constructed by Benchmark Building Contractors, Inc.
About American Campus Communities: American Campus Communities is the largest developer, owner and manager of high-quality student housing communities in the United States. The company is a fully integrated, self-managed and self-administered equity real estate investment trust with expertise in the design, finance, development, construction management and operational management of student housing properties. American Campus Communities owns 86 student housing properties containing approximately 52,800 beds.
About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and nearly 2,000 faculty members. The third-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.6 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. The use of this line is available free-of-charge to radio news programs/stations who wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.