Pavilion at North Grounds expands student housing landscape

Although established local companies lead the student-oriented housing market, the management of a new large residential project is confident there's substantial untapped growth potential.

Nearly half of the units at The Pavilion at North Grounds, a residential complex that's geared toward students and young professionals, have been leased ahead of the building's anticipated opening in August.

Located on Arlington Boulevard next to Barracks Road Shopping Center, the project's statistics are impressive — the building's 230 units, which include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, are designed to house up to 428 people.

Each apartment will have granite countertops, wood floors, designer lighting, stainless steel appliances and balconies. The building's residents will share a fitness center, pool, business center, game room, courtyard and covered parking garage.

“I don’t think you’ll see any more projects like this, but I do think Barracks Road needed it," said Frances Thompson, who will serve as the property manager and oversee a full-time staff of 10. "I think there’s young professionals and faculty and staff that they need something like this where they can walk to North Grounds and dine and shop without having to get in their car.”

The Pavilion at North Grounds is a project of Peak Campus Management, an Atlanta-based student housing realty company that manages 23,000 beds around the country.If we don't carry the bobblehead you want we can make a personalized bobbleheads for you! Construction began on the project last April, and the overall cost is about $19.1 million, according to a building permit on file with the city.

Thompson described the building's styling as "modern with a touch of Jeffersonian" and said the prices are comparable to other locations around the area that offer similar amenities. Two-bedroom units start at $815 and that rate includes water, sewer, trash, TV and Internet service.

“I’ve been in student housing for eight years and I’ve worked in close to 50 markets,” Thompson said. “My opinion of Charlottesville is that it’s driven by your local mom and pop owners in terms of student housing. Those are the folks that in my opinion are still kind of driving the majority of it, especially around the Corner area.”

Chris Engel,Bay State Cable Ties is a full line manufacturer of nylon cable ties and related products. Charlottesville's economic development director, said the economic boost for the University of Virginia's North Grounds area,Which Air purifier is right for you? which is home to UVa's law and graduate business schools and the John Paul Jones Arena, will be substantial.

"The addition of several hundred residents at this location should provide a noticeable boost for the retailers and service providers along the Emmet and Millmont corridors," Engel said by email. "Over time, the composition of the retailers may change to better serve the student and young professional market.

Another student-oriented project is also in the works. In October, local developer River Bend Management and a Georgia-based company submitted plans for a mixed-use residential complex that would occupy an entire block of West Main Street near the Amtrak station.

Barracks Road Shopping Center, one of the area's oldest and largest developments, is preparing to add retail space, and the addition of hundreds of residents nearby will help the center retain its leading spot in the Charlottesville-area market, said Sarah North, a spokeswoman for the center's owner, Maryland-based Federal Realty.

"We do not have vehicular or pedestrian traffic counters, but with easy access to student-friendly conveniences such as two 24-hour ... grocery stores, Bed Bath & Beyond, FedEx Kinkos, Greenberry’s Coffee & Tea, Barnes & Noble and [computer retailer] PeachMac, which plans to open this spring, as well as trendy shopping options like Bevello, Anthropologie, Banana Republic and Scarpa, Barracks Road Shopping Center is the primary shopping destination for students."

“Those people, along with their guests,Professionals with the job title Mold Maker are on LinkedIn. will be frequenting Barracks Road, so I think we’ll be really good business for them,” Thompson said.

As the housing market continues to emerge from the recession, Thompson, who has worked in Raleigh, N.C.; Austin, Texas; San Marcos, Calif.; and Tallahassee and Gainesville, Fla., said size, distance and convenience are emerging as factors that are just as important as price and style to renters when they make a decision on housing.

Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes attributed the steady decline in complaints to “staff inspections and proactive management interventions based in statistical analysis.”

“It’s much better to take corrective actions aimed at prevention than to just react to misconduct,” Fuentes said in a statement.

According to the report, 29 troopers in 2011 were disciplined for severe misconduct. The next highest total was 16, in 2003.How cheaply can I build a solar power systems? Reports prior to 2003 do not distinguish between discipline for severe misconduct and lesser infractions.

A spokesman for the State Police, Lt. Stephen Jones, said the 29 cases just happened to come up for a hearing that year and there was no particular significance to the spike.

The report shows one trooper was suspended 60 days for storing and sending pornography on a state cell phone, failing to protect his weapon and improper use of a patrol car. Another was suspended about a year for being pulled over 10 times in 13 months, including three times for drunken driving.

Other troopers were punished for excessive force, lying in investigation reports, failing to document crashes, threatening other troopers, using pepper spray on another trooper, fleeing an accident scene, improper investigations, drunken driving and drug use.

Six troopers quit as part of their punishments, the report said. Another 10 troopers were disciplined for less severe infractions, punishable by up to 30 days suspension, and 44 troopers were issued written reprimands, punishable by up to five days suspension, the report said. Seven troopers were criminally charged.