With tanning beds, fitness facilities, private baths and rooms, complete with a swimming pool, sauna and spa, the amenity-filled University Village will give students a new option for Amherst living next fall.
American Campus Communities, a Texas-based student housing company, is constructing the new apartment complex on Sweet Home Road near Skinnersville Road. According to the group, it could cost as much as $30 million to build, and it will be completed in August 2005.
"We're pretty excited," said Jason Wills, senior vice president of American Campus Communities. "It's a great area, and with a beautiful building side, campus corridor, and pedestrian paths, it has a nice campus feel to it."
With 800 beds and three different types of units -- four beds with four baths, two beds with two baths, and one bed with one bath --University Village at Sweet Home residents will be privy to privacy.
Wills stressed the need for personal space and how difficult it can be to share bathrooms and leases with a group of new people.
"Instead of sharing a lease with roommates, we offer individual leases as a key aspect of comfort," Wills said. "That way, if a roommate moves out, you don't have to worry about covering their share of the lease, and it's a lot less stressful.
Each unit will have a phone jack, cable outlet, and Internet access in each room, as well in the living room.
A recreational room will be available to residents where they can watch sports and movies or play video games. A lounge, Internet gaming area, flat screen televisions, and foosball and air hockey tables will also be located leisure area, according to Willis. A state of the art fitness center occupying over 2,000 square feet of the complex, complete with a cardiovascular exercise area, is included in the plans.
"It will be one community with several three or four story buildings," Wills said. "There will be a pretty considerable amount of activities, including a pool and a half court indoor basketball court. That way, when it's the middle of winter and people still want to be play basketball they can, in an indoor facility."
For work purposes, a business center will be located on the main grounds, and will include complete high-speed Internet access as well as laptops that can be checked out by residents for personal use.
"The wireless Internet will work anywhere in the complex, so residents can even use the laptops out by the pool," Wills said.
Transportation is another aspect Wills said the company is looking into.
"We're working to get a shuttle, separate from campus transportation to transport residents back and forth between campus," he said. "The main shuttle will probably run back and forth from something like 7 a.m. to 5 p.m."
American Campus Communities is opening the Sweet Home complex to any student from any area school, although Wills said they are catering to a UB student audience.
"It makes sense for UB students to live here, but we're not restricting it to only them," Wills said.
The company is still working on finalizing prices, and Wills couldn't currently submit a definite set of pricing for room rates.
Wills has been involved with campus housing since he was an RA in college. He said he knows how important it is to build strong relationships with clientele. According to Wills, the company's three main focuses are the students, the parents and the university, and Wills said he's been careful in keeping the lines of communications open between the company and university officials.
"We want to make sure the students and parents are pleased, and keep the university as a good neighbor," he said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
