A local developer91裸聊视频檚 claim that they91裸聊视频檙e meeting a dire need for university housing may be a bit misleading, says a UBCO official.
The Mission Group plans to begin sales on its U-Eight condo project in early 2019, and they91裸聊视频檝e been saying the project will add 90 homes to within walking distance of UBCO, where enrolment has tripled to 9,945 students since 2005. There are currently 1,676 student on-campus beds and Shannon Dunn, the UBCO director of business operations says the developer91裸聊视频檚 claim that there91裸聊视频檚 a shortfall of 6,400 beds is a bit misleading.
Dunn says the marketing doesn91裸聊视频檛 take into account that 25 to 30 per cent of UBCO91裸聊视频檚 students come from the Okanagan Valley.
She said under UBCO91裸聊视频檚 20-year master plan, an additional 2,250 on-campus beds are projected over the next two decades as student enrolment continues to climb.
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She said UBCO91裸聊视频檚 on-campus housing percentage is likely to top out in the mid-20s, which is high compared to most universities across Canada. At the parent UBC campus in Vancouver, that percentage is closer to 20 per cent.
91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 need all those new beds right now based on our current enrolment but we have tried to look forward and anticipate where we need to be at. Right now, we have a commitment to add another 440 beds to open within the next 18 months to two years,91裸聊视频� Dunn said.
She said UBCO makes a commitment to all out-of-town first year students to provide campus housing, to help them make that transition to university life.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a natural trajectory at most universities that students tend to live in campus the first and possibly second years, and then start to look at other living options within the community,91裸聊视频� she said.
She said UBCO91裸聊视频檚 housing inventory took a giant leap adding 1,400 beds within a six year period from 2005 to 2011, a reflection of explosive growth cycle of the university over the last decade.
91裸聊视频淲e were responding to student enrolment demand at that time, and we91裸聊视频檝e seen another blip upwards of late which is why we91裸聊视频檝e made that further 440-bed commitment,91裸聊视频� she said.
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She said the university91裸聊视频檚 enrolment growth has sparked private development interest as well, which helps off-set the university91裸聊视频檚 student housing demands, citing the Mission Group91裸聊视频檚 efforts along with the 500-unit student rental/sale apartment development next to the campus.
91裸聊视频淚nterested developers will come and ask us about our enrolment and campus housing plans. There is no formal partnership in those situations but housing projects like that help meet a need, especially with the vacancy rate being so low in recent years in Kelowna,91裸聊视频� Dunn noted.
She said outside of campus, the Quail Ridge area provides accommodations for about 1,000 UBCO students, possibly due to many residents spending the winters down south.
91裸聊视频淭he September to April student time-frame seems to work well for residents in that area. I91裸聊视频檓 not sure exactly how or why but it does seem to be a convenient neighbourhood for students to find housing,91裸聊视频� she said.
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When UBCO was initially established, Rutland and Glenmore were eyed as potential bedroom communities where UBCO students would naturally migrate to find housing.
Dunn said ultimately, what has taken on added significance to geographic location is transit access, since enrolment fees for all students includes a universal bus pass.
91裸聊视频淎nywhere with an accessible bus line connection to campus can become a convenient off-campus housing option.91裸聊视频�
U-Eight is the final Mission Group project eyed for the university district. The previous seven projects have all sold out.
The price range for U-Eight units ranges from low $200,00091裸聊视频檚 for studio suites to mid-$400,00091裸聊视频檚 for three-bedroom layouts. Interested buyers can register at www.liveateight.com for more information.
barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
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