Gone are the days when college students shared a room, their beds within whispering distance.
Now, students want more amenities, more room, more privacy.
The trend of apartment-style dorms is spreading not only across college campuses but to the private sector.
Three private apartment buildings aimed at college students will add 850 beds to Lincoln's inventory by 2014.
The on-campus apartments, often two- or four-bedroom units with one or two bathrooms, a kitchen and common room, now are the most popular residential housing option, said Sue Gildersleeve, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s housing director.
Apartment-style housing at UNL has grown to more than 2,600 beds during the past decade. The Courtyards opened in 2004, the Village in 2005 and Knoll Hall in 2010.
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“We don’t think there’s another campus in the country that has done this much this quickly,” Gildersleeve said. “It has made a difference in the livability and desirability of our campus.
“We have accomplished a lot in a little bit of time.”
UNL is finishing construction on another 1,034-bed, yet-to-be-named apartment-style residence hall at 18th and R streets that is set to open in 2014.
"Students desire a homelike, comfortable environment that offers them privacy and convenience," Gildersleeve said.
She said offering more apartment-style living was part of a larger goal to increase occupancy by retaining upperclassmen who tend to move off campus.
Chancellor Harvey Perlman told the Board of Regents in January that housing is a big part of NU's mission because students who live on campus tend to be more engaged and successful in the classroom.
Costs are similar between private and university housing. UNL’s apartment-style dorms will cost $6,178 next year for two semesters, including utilities, cable TV and two meals a week at the dining halls.
The regents recently approved a 4.5 percent housing increase -- about $300 a year -- but another increase could come if state lawmakers do away with sales tax exemptions on dorm rooms.
Perks of university housing include having resident assistants on the floors, programmed events, furnished rooms, bathroom cleaning and individual contracts for utilities, cable and Internet, which helps resolve conflicts when a roommate fails to pay his or her share of the bills in off-campus rentals, for example.
UNL officials hope to increase occupancy by 200 students in the next year, Gildersleeve said.
They'll have competition close to campus.
“It’s never been our intention for every student to live on campus," Gildersleeve said. "We want to help students prepare for more independent living situations, too.”
Similar four-bedroom private housing costs about $700 per month, per bed, but such units are likely to offer only six- or 12-month leasing options.
Several mixed-use highrises with first-floor retail, parking and residences have opened recently or will be complete in coming years within walking distance of campus.
Parkhaus, a 200-bed, student-focused apartment complex on the top floors of the Larson Building at 13th and Q streets, found instant success when it opened in August, renting all of its 52 units. A waiting list includes hundreds of names, according to the property manager.
The proximity of Parkhaus to City Campus means the complex will be able to compete directly with UNL’s apartment-style dorm packages by offering similar prices and floor plans, as well as all-inclusive rent packages and “by-the-bed” lease agreements -- all popular with students.
Canopy Lofts, another upscale student housing option with 71 units and 203 beds, is set to open in the West Haymarket in August. It, too, has a list of people waiting to sign a lease.
Canopy Lofts residents will have access to a private rooftop area, community rooms and private, secured parking.
"With the addition of the Canopy Street and Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln’s Haymarket District is an exciting area that people want to be a part of," said Brooke Schneider, marketing manager for Canopy Lofts developer WRK. "For students, the area provides the convenience of being located near campus, within walking distance to Memorial Stadium, Haymarket Park and the arena, as well as restaurants, coffee shops and nightlife."
A parking garage and 475-bed student housing project at 18th and Q streets is set to be completed in 2014. It will feature a green roof and courtyard space, as well as study rooms and a fitness center.
There have been suggestions to turn the Pershing Center site into student housing, and another project with up to 1,100 apartments in the North Bottoms is in the very early planning stages.
Although some beds remain empty in UNL residence halls, the demand for student housing could continue to grow. UNL has set a goal of housing 30,000 students by 2017, up from 24,000.
