Parking options for Chipotle customers became a little scarcer earlier this week when construction began on the adjacent parking lot, the first step in a new student housing project.

Certified Realty Inc., under project manager Travis McGee’s guidance, is building a five-story, 64-unit apartment complex in the former parking lot. The building, called Watson Place, will have commercial space available on the ground level. Housing will be marketed toward students, Columbia City Planner Matthew Lepke said.

“I think that it makes sense on many fronts to have more density near campus and downtown,” Lepke said. “Certainly it’s a high traffic area for students and people coming downtown for lunch.”

Losing many parking spaces in the former lot is a potential problem many students have likely noticed already. Lepke acknowledged this is a likely frustration.

“I would hope that the (Hitt Street Parking Garage) would be able to absorb what was formerly the surface parking, but without knowing the ins and outs of the lot, I can’t say too much on that,” he said.

Watson Place is just one of several new student housing options in Columbia.

In August 2010, Brookside Downtown opened at the intersection of Tenth and Cherry streets. Closer to Stephens College, Brookside on College is now under construction. Built on the intersection of College Avenue and Walnut Street, the building will house 100 apartment units when completed.

Both Brookside developments are in no way related to Watson Place. The Odle family, who owns Trittenbach Development and these properties, recently submitted a rezoning request concerning 1110-1114 Locust St., Lepke said.

“They have a rezoning request in currently, and their stated intent has been to build a multi-story building that would more than likely be marketed to students,” he said.

In addition, City Council recently granted the Texas-based developing company Aspen Heights permission to construct more student housing in place of the property currently inhabited by the Regency mobile home park.

Lepke credits Columbia’s growing population with the increase in housing developers pursuing construction in the city.

“It’s been purely market-driven,” he said. “The developers have all come to us. We’ve had developers come from all over the country with different ideas and proposals, and some have come to fruition and some have been left on the drawing board.”

He said the increase in out-of-state developers is notable.

“Columbia is on the radar for more national firms now that we have crossed the 100,000 resident mark,” he said. “When the 2010 census came out and it was official and in front of everyone’s eyes, we have surmised that this is one of the driving factors behind the increase in national interest, rather than just local interest.”

He said MU’s increasing enrollment is likely a contributing factor to this as well.

Nevertheless, he said it isn’t rare for developers to express interest in Columbia.

“We often have people swing by and say, ‘Hey, what if I did such and such at such and such site?’ and then we never hear from them again,” he said. “It’s fairly common for people nowadays to dip their toes in the water.”

McGee said more specific details concerning Watson Place’s construction will be released sometime this week.