Students drawn to Sweethome complex

For the first time since UB's on-campus apartments were built, all five complexes are seeing competition from a new neighbor, University Village at Sweethome.

The $30 million complex on Sweet Home Road near North Campus - which has been promoting its swimming pool, spa, tanning beds, movie theater, indoor basketball court and fitness center - is nearing its August 2005 completion date.

And as the deadline for on-campus apartments arrives Monday, the state-of-the-art Sweethome complex has sparked the interest of many UB students from freshmen to seniors, in addition to Buffalo residents.

"Applications are 40 percent, and gaining every day," said Michael Cipriano, the director of marketing of the Texas-based housing company, American Campus Communities.

The company has already built between 35 and 40 housing complexes in the United States, and recently sent four UB students to their most recent site in Irvine, Calif. to spend a few days in the community.

Sophomores Ryan Cahill and Michael Wood were two of the students that took the trip. Cahill and Wood said it sealed the deal on any doubts they had about living in the Sweethome complex.

"It was exactly what I was looking for," said Cahill, who is also a leasing assistant at the Sweethome leasing office in the Commons. "As soon as I got there, my jaw dropped."

Cahill said one of the main reasons he was looking into Sweethome was because there are no previous residence requirements, and he was not eligible for UB's apartments because he had only lived in the dorms for one year. UB has regulations that say any applicant must have lived on campus for a minimum of two years.

"I currently live off campus on Englewood, and it's very secluded, and I want the campus feel," Cahill said.

Wood, another UB sophomore who visited the Irvine complex said he's choosing to apply to Sweethome over university apartments because "it looked more fun."

"The (Irvine location) community center really got me," Wood said. "Everything was so awesome and this one is supposed to be even better. From what I've heard, this one (in Amherst) will be the flagship."

With the new kid on the block, UB apartment officials said they see Sweethome as competition but still consider themselves the better option.

"It's definitely competition. I mean, it has 820 beds and it's close to campus," said Thomas Tiberi, the senior associate director for university apartments. "We do still think we are a better choice though. We have the connection scene, and we are on campus."

Tiberi said although no new renovations will be made to any of the apartments in the near future, UB is looking to add some perks into each complex's community center.

"This spring we are adding a business center for the Hadley community building," he said. "The machines have been ordered so it should be installed this spring."

UB officials added they are also toying with the idea of adding a fitness center to each of the community buildings as well.

"There's always someone in the Hadley gym, so it's clearly an interest students have," Tiberi said. "This would be more of a long-term goal though, probably in the next two or three years."

UB's apartment staff and officials will continue to try their best to fit the current needs of students, Tiberi said.

"We're definitely trying to keep up with what students want," he said.

Applications for university apartment housing are currently being accepted, and Tiberi said the numbers look good.

"The applications are coming in strong and the feedback for the new online registration has been very positive," he said. "The online registration will continue in the future, and we are also trying to get lease signing and deposit online too. Eventually, our goal is to get the entire housing process online."

Sweethome officials said they aren't necessarily trying to outdo current university apartments.

"There's no competition for us with on- and off-campus housing," said Mary Elise Herald, assistant general manager of University Village at Sweethome. "We're offering different things, and we just want everyone to have housing. We did market research, and we knew there was a housing need here. People seem very interested and we just want everyone to know who we are, if they're looking for a different option."