Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
By Taylor Rexrode
Staff Writer
A Baylor graduate is opening a new student housing apartment community just off the south side of campus. When it opens during the fall of 2014, this complex will be near campus, with 718 beds and 257 apartment units.
The project was developed by 1985 Baylor alumnus Brad Copeland, founder and owner of Copeland Commercial, who said the project at his alma mater should inspire growth within the neighborhood.
The View, which will be built on the corner of Tenth Street and Speight Avenue, is a collaborative project between University Student Living, Limited Liability Company and Copeland Commercial, LLC.
“I think this project is going to really improve the neighborhood and hopefully provide a catalyst to the gentrification of the entire area,” Copeland said.
Vertical construction on The View will begin in April and leasing for fall 2014 occupancy will start in September 2013.
Students will have options for one-, two- and four-bedroom units. These units will be fully furnished with a bureau, desk and full-sized beds for each room, as well as a flat-screen television, a sofa, end tables and a coffee table in the living room. Each bedroom will have its own bathroom, and kitchens will include a refrigerator, oven, microwave and dishwasher. Other amenities include a washer and dryer in the units, a parking garage for tenants and guests, an approximately 1,800 square foot swimming pool with cabana lounges, outdoor barbecue areas, an Internet café, a comprehensive fitness center and tanning facilities.
Copeland said he is glad to be back in Waco engaging with Baylor.
“It’s been fun to re-engage with some of the faculty and administration at Baylor,” Copeland said. “Baylor has been great to work with through this entire development process. We wanted to make sure we had their full support, so I’ve kept them informed every step of the way.”
The rent price for the View was undetermined at the time of publication, but Copeland said rents will be “competitive with the market.”
Dale McCullough, director of marketing for University Student Living, said producing high-end student living with an awareness of cost is part of the company’s mission.
“Our mission is to provide exceptional student living at the best value we possibly can,” McCullough said. “We are well aware of concerns of the cost of education. We are sensitive to what the market is like and how much students are spending.”
University Student Living recently built two new apartment complexes similar to the one breaking ground near campus: The Vue in Fayetteville, Ark., and The Edge in Mobile, Ala.
The website for both apartment complexes showed rents for two-bedroom units between $550 and $650 per person. Utilities were accounted for in the rent prices.
McCullough sees the project as a way to enhance Baylor’s campus and surrounding areas.
“It’s going to be very unique from what is around campus right now,” McCullough said. “It will really enhance the campus. It’s a whole comprehensive lifestyle and will really add a lot more activity to the area.”
Joseph M. Coyle, president of University Student Living, said in a press release that the housing project should reflect well on the university.
“Our approach to the development of well-designed, purpose-built student living is that it should benefit the entire community,” Coyle said in the release. “Students have improved housing options, which reflects well on the university, and our commitment to quality ensures an attractive, sustainable asset that enhances the neighborhood.”
