If you’ve driven Interstate 75, you may have noticed a new complex rising along the northbound side between the West End and the Hopple Street exit. It’s curved and juts right up against the highway.
What if we told you this was student housing?
The Vanguard is a 136-unit rental building for University of Cincinnati students, coming online in the fall of 2024. Even though it’s down the hill from the college, the project is one answer to the student housing crisis facing the university in and around the neighborhoods of Clifton, Clifton Heights, University Heights and Corryville.
Here’s what you need to know
Address: 1001 Marshall Ave., CUF
Building type: Apartments, ground-up construction
Developer/contractor/architect/engineer: Fountain Residential Partners, Ruscilli Construction, Stuart I. Roosth
Size: 152,756 square feet, 4.5 acres
Breaking down The Vanguard housing complex
Under construction between Marshall Avenue and Straight Street, The Vanguard’s three buildings follow the curved path of Central Parkway, one of the most highly trafficked streets in and around downtown Cincinnati. Each structure is four stories tall, and in total, the property can house up to 400 students. Work has been ongoing since December 2022 and will wrap up next summer.
Once complete, units will range in size from 450-to-600-square-foot studios to two-, four- or five-bedroom apartments. There will be a bathroom per bedroom in each unit, and similar to a college dormitory, each will be outfitted with furniture. The Vanguard will also be furnished with appliances, a TV and in-unit laundry.
Monthly rent will start at $969. Unlike typical multifamily apartment complexes, students will have the opportunity to sign individual leases so they aren’t responsible for covering rent for any roommates that may move out of the unit before the lease is up. (The Vanguard will also offer a roommate matching system.)
Building amenities include study rooms, a yoga and fitness center, a clubhouse, a game room and a community pool. Parking is available as well.
How will students get to UC?
The Vanguard has a contract with the Bearcat Transportation System, a free shuttle service, so students can be picked up at a resident-only bus stop in front of the apartments. Leasing agents told The Enquirer it would take about 20 minutes to get from the last stop on campus to The Vanguard.
Why build so far from campus?
The simple answer: There’s just not enough room around campus and there are too many students to house.
This fall, the university announced its biggest student body and largest incoming class ever, but there wasn’t enough housing for them nearby. The situation was so drastic that last year, some students temporarily stayed in hotels until finding a more permanent place to live.
When Calhoun Hall, the school’s largest housing facility, reopened after an 18-month, $80 million renovation, part of that crisis was solved. Next on the list for a revamp is Siddall Hall.
But on-campus housing won’t be enough as the university’s student body grows.
Why build so far from campus?
The simple answer: There’s just not enough room around campus and there are too many students to house.
This fall, the university announced its biggest student body and largest incoming class ever, but there wasn’t enough housing for them nearby. The situation was so drastic that last year, some students temporarily stayed in hotels until finding a more permanent place to live.
When Calhoun Hall, the school’s largest housing facility, reopened after an 18-month, $80 million renovation, part of that crisis was solved. Next on the list for a revamp is Siddall Hall.
But on-campus housing won’t be enough as the university’s student body grows.
That’s where The Vanguard comes in. Dallas-based developer Fountain Residential Partners is a firm that specializes in luxury, mixed-use and affordable apartment construction in collegiate markets. In Cincinnati, The Vanguard will offer a boutique-style property – one that’s focused on design and more intimate than dormitory towers – for students who are willing to live a bit farther away from campus.
“This particular area is a future home to more developments, too. As the university continues to expand, we are locating sites in areas to develop with easy access to campus and future growth potential,” said vice president of asset management David Ramirez. “The Vanguard is located next to the freeway, convenient to multiple neighborhoods and the corridor that leads to downtown Cincinnati.”
Published on cincinnati.com on December 13, 2023
