Aspen Heights will move ahead with plans to construct luxury student housing after the Columbia City Council voted in favor of rezoning the area last week on Nov. 21.
Aspen Heights currently has housing communities near Louisiana State University, Texas State University and the University of Texas at San Antonio. New developments near Auburn University and the University of Georgia will open in fall 2012.
Each Aspen Heights gated community contains two-, three- and four-bedroom houses. Community amenities include a clubhouse, pool, fitness room and movie theatre.
According to the Aspen Heights website, the company has conducted focus groups with more than 5,000 students and continues to talk with students at each prospective campus to learn about student housing preferences.
Aspen Heights Chief Marketing Officer Jason Sherman said the company, which began market research in Columbia two years ago, is excited to build a development in the community.
“Our market research team and public relations department have met exceptional individuals at the university, and we know that these students can benefit greatly from our product,” Sherman said. “The University of Missouri is constantly growing in many positive ways, and Aspen Heights knows it can raise the bar in off-campus student housing.”
The company chose the location because of its proximity to campus, retail spaces and local attractions, Sherman said.
Sixth Ward City Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe, who was one of two council members who voted against the rezoning, said the new community will increase traffic to and from MU.
“We have a lot of student apartment complexes in the area, more than we can handle in terms of traffic and the few routes that go to the university,” she said. “It will have a huge impact on traffic if bus services aren’t provided, and even if one is, a lot of (visitors) going back and forth won’t have access if we don’t have a better bus system.”
Hoppe said the planned unit development for Columbia’s Aspen Heights location has been reduced from 9.5 to 8.5 residents per acre, allowing for a community total of 936 bedrooms. Aspen Heights will conduct focus groups to determine a market-competitive and student-driven price, Sherman said.
Residence Halls Association President Chris Rucker said he thinks Aspen Heights might be too expensive for students.
“I know student housing is always something people say they need, but (companies) need to listen to students because they’re going to be the ones living there,” Rucker said. “There will be people interested, but a lot of people are not going to be able to because it costs too much.”
Aspen Heights will begin working with city departments to obtain a building permit and complete other necessary procedures before construction. The Columbia City Council will not have any further involvement with the development, Hoppe said.
Grace Haun, Missouri Students Association Campus and Community Relations chairwoman, said most students with whom she has spoken to are disappointed with the City Council’s decision to rezone the area.
“They wish we would have come up with a better solution than rezoning low-income housing,” she said. “I don’t think I talked to one student who was for rezoning.”
Current Regency residents will have to leave the mobile home park late this spring, but residents with school-aged children or disabilities will move out in April or May. The Regency was initially going to have to have residents leave in late February, but Aspen Heights opposed the date, Sherman said.
“Because Aspen Heights is purchasing (the) property, the residents will be able to stay in their homes during the winter months and have the opportunity (to) benefit from approximately $300,000 in financial assistance from Aspen Heights,” Sherman said. “In no way does Aspen Heights support removing these residents from their homes as Regency of Missouri had earlier planned, and we will be proactive in assisting the residents in any way possible.”
Haun said she thinks Aspen Heights will still attract student residents once the community is built.
“I think they will find incentives,” she said. “I think students will live there. They’ll fill their spaces because there is such a high demand for housing.”
Haun said she would not be interested in living in Aspen Heights because of the situation.
“Getting rid of a tract of land for low-income housing really hurts residents who live there and are always in Columbia,” she said. “To do something for students at the expense of Columbia residents, I don’t think that’s right, and unfortunately, that’s what happened.”
Sherman said Aspen Heights understands why students support Columbia’s need for low-income housing and encourages them to continue to work with the local government and the community.
“Regency of Missouri was going to close in February no matter what, and because Aspen Heights plans to purchase the land, we feel it is an obligation based on our company values to meet the needs of these residents and ensure a successful transition,” Sherman said. “Without Aspen Heights, these individuals would have been forced out in the dead of winter, and Aspen Heights found that to be unacceptable.”
