The past few years housing complexes, on- and off-campus, have been built at a rapid rate.
Sterling University Estates opened in fall 2001. Now, three years later, Windermere Place Apartments will open next door to it in the fall.
"The market is highly over-saturated," Nicole Griffith, propert manager of Sterling University Estates, said. "I don't believe another apartment community would be good for any of us."
Griffith said Sterling University Estates is 66 percent full for the fall.
"Compared to last year, we are down by 4 percent," she said. "Last year by the end of the leasing season, we were up to 90 percent. It had never been that way before."
Griffith said the occupancy rate is normally in the 80 percent range. She said she thinks CJB going bankrupt last summer has a lot to do with the increase.
In June 2003, CJB, who owned Everbrook, Sunreach, Autumn Breeze, Silvertree, Windsong and Cardinal Villas, filed bankruptcy. Prior to CJB being bought out by Wells Fargo Bank, Minnesota, $158,600 in security deposits ended up missing.
Alan Hargrave, director of Housing and Residence Life, said the current residence hall numbers are similar to last year, but they might be a little bit down for freshman contracts.
"We don't have exact numbers in because freshman are still accepting admission," Hargrave said. "So I'd imagine we will have high occupancy rates for the fall. I don't know that we will be overflowing like we were this fall, but it will still be high."
Hargrave said the residence halls target underclassmen.
"I think for freshman and sophomores, we offer a better environment," Hargrave said. "It is convenient. Students can concentrate on class and can be academically and socially involved without the headache of rent, utility bills and cooking their meals."
Ball State is taking the first steps to building a residence hall that will have a few features similar to an apartment.
Hargrave said the new residence hall will have two-floor social lounges, a large fitness room next door to the laundry area, semi-private bathrooms, four efficiency rooms, walk-in closets, a multi-purpose room for dances/seminars and 10 percent of the rooms will be singles.
Despite the similarities, Hargrave said they aren't trying to compete with apartment complexes.
"They build apartments," he said. "They can build them stick frame, inexpensive kind of construction and what we are going after is really a part of a campus."
Although campus housing isn't trying to compete with off-campus housing, Windermere Place Apartments adds competition to the market.
"We came in here at the Ball State community," Rebecca Risch, property manager of Windermere Place Apartments, said. "We saw a lot of houses and a lot of mom and pop owners... The houses are very run down... We wanted to bring a better quality of housing to students. We aren't the cheapest property there is, but we don't want to be the cheapest."
Junior Todd Samples said he was drawn to Windermere Place Apartments because the complex is new, has private bathrooms and has a clubhouse.
"I didn't really look at any other apartments," Samples said. "I saw the place being built, and I thought it looked good, so my friends and I went and checked it out. We were impressed by it."
Griffith said they aren't seeing an effect from Windermere Place Apartments coming into town; however, she expects that to change.
"I think once their clubhouse is open, we will see an effect then," Griffith said. "People will be able to see what it is like, what kind of atmosphere it is."
Windermere's clubhouse is located in the center of the complex and houses a pool table, 62" big screen television, ping-pong table, foosball table, mini-kitchen, steam room and fully-equipped fitness center.
Windermere's office is located at 1622 W. University Ave., across from the Locker Room in the Village. It has a mock apartments available for students to view. While the clubhouse is set to open in April, the office will be moved there in October, Risch said.
Risch said Windermere Place Apartments is a branch off of family-owned McCormick Place located in West Lafayette for the last 25 years. It has 500 units, housing approximately 1,000 residents, mostly Purdue students. This is the first time the company has built elsewhere.
Risch said she will have presence on the site pretty much all the time. As soon as the apartment models in the clubhouses are completed, one will become her new home.
Hargrave said he thinks all the housing competition is good for students.
"I think the competition the off-campus landlords place on each other is good," Hargrave said. "It gives students options from which to choose if they are looking on- and off-campus... I would hope that new and improved apartment complexes would place pressure upon landlords that aren't maintaining their properties well for students to step up and make their properties be more attractive and safer for students."
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