Among all the construction around campus are new modern mid and high-rise apartments, creating new living options for UT students.
Several new housing projects are underway in West Campus, a popular area for many UT students. These new projects include The Ruckus, University House, The Corner at West Campus and Skyloft, adding a total of more than 1,500 beds to West Campus, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Realtor Samuel Njigua who works for West Campus Living, a real estate agency that offers free service to students, said leasing season begins in November and continues through July.
West Campus is very popular to UT students because of the location and amenities, Njigua said.
The Ruckus will be a seven-story building at 2502 Nueces St. and have 45 units ranging from two to five bedrooms. Construction begins this summer and is expected to wrap up August 2017.
University House, at the corner of West 21st Street and San Antonio Street, is nearing completion and set to house students for the upcoming fall semester. The 20-story apartment building was built on land that had belonged to the University Lutheran Student Center since 1971, according to the Statesman.
Exercise science sophomore Isabel Alvarado said she chose to live at University House for the upcoming year because it is a part of the Safe Mixed Income Accessible Reasonably Priced Transit Oriented (S.M.A.R.T.) Housing program, which is designed to stimulate the production of housing for residents with low and moderate income. Students can qualify for S.M.A.R.T. Housing based on financial aid and scholarships.
“I think one of the main pros is the fact that it [University House] is very close to campus,” Alvarado said . “One con is that it is pricey.”
The Corner at West Campus located at 2504 San Gabriel St., is an eight-story building with two underground stories of parking also set to open for the fall semester. Sixty-two apartment units from one to five bedrooms will total 207 beds.
Skyloft, at 507 W. 23rd St., will begin construction soon and is expected to open in summer 2018, featuring a total of 212 units with 677 beds.
Rheana Thakkar, psychology junior and leasing agent for Housing Scout said most students want to find cheapest place to live that is closest to campus, but location often outweighs all other living preferences. She also added that close proximity to campus is the greatest benefit of living in West Campus.
“[Students] tend to enjoy certain amenities such as free parking, a washer and dryer, and furnishings, but time and time again the most important thing for students tends to be location,” Thakkar said.
