Downtown needs Averett Student Housing …

Travis Hackworth has got an idea on how merge two problems into one solution…

One of the few positive things around Danville showing promising growth has been Averett University. With the hiring of Dr. Tiffany Franks and her great leadership, and excellent staff, Averett has expanded their student population to 2,600 students and shows no signs of slowing down. Averett most recently started construction on Pritchett Auditorium’s major overhaul, they will soon start on the new football stadium, and lord only knows what other unannounced projects still to come…

There is one thing, however, that Averett lacks: SPACE and lots of it.

When they originally built their W. Main St, location the area was largely undeveloped and expansion wasn’t as much of an issue. Now with “modern” housing having been built around it, they are essentially land locked, left only to purchase, demolish, and build on existing home sites. With Averett’s continued growth student housing will become a problem as will academic space.

My suggestion is that the school look at working with private developers in the River District to expand student housing opportunities. Averett already has a presence there with their graduate programs and new nursing program and it has been proven time and time again that student housing helps revive otherwise lackluster or dead urban cores. While the River District is far from “dead” it is somewhat lackluster in the development sector even with the new restaurants and housing. That’s because there isn’t a captured base, the current base is very fluid and because the River District doesn’t present a 24/7 destination opportunity, it relies on customers coming there specifically for their products and services. Student housing would go a long way to creating that permanent or captured target market.

The benefits of locating student housing in the River District are many.  Many studies have shown that university campuses have substantial economic impacts on surrounding economies in terms of business, housing, arts and tourism. By integrating or “installing” the campus into the community, these benefits can be further extended.Cities across the US have worked to integrate their campuses and the surrounding communities. It was found that students living in the community rather than separated by a distinct campus boundary, are more likely to be engaged in the community and those engaged in the community are more likely to graduate and be successful.

Additionally, students form relationships within the community, helping students obtain jobs after graduation and helping retain alumni in the community. The increased visibility of the university in the community also creates relationships with the residents and businesses in the community, resulting in increased community support of the university.

The concentration of students downtown, where students interact with residents and tourists, creates an area of demand for services, which means attracting restaurants, bars, retail, and entertainment venues that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to attract any other way. In turn, a vibrant downtown makes the community more appealing to students and visitors, attracting top teachers, researchers and students who, additionally, are attracted to the area’s non-academic amenities; Hyco Lake, VIR, Smith Mountain Lake, museums, etc… Community residents also benefit from the increase in the number of available food, retail and entertainment options, as well as the increase in the City’s taxable base and availability of jobs.

Locating student housing in a downtown district will not be without a cost. Funding becomes a major issue and while many colleges are expanding their campuses using their own funding, those with limited funding can enjoy the economic benefits without the capital expense by entering into long-term lease agreements with private developers. The availability of guaranteed lease payments over the life of the lease can make this type of development attractive to the private sector.

Another issue can be the difference between conventional apartments and student housing. Student housing provides a different level of operational intensity due to Averett’s academic calendar and the type of residents, requiring a larger and more specialized staff. Students, and their parents, expect staff onsite 24/7. This provides a contact for students should they have questions or issues, as well as acts as a deterrent for behavioral issues. Additionally student housing facilities have a single move-in period and wide-spread vacancies during the summer months, both of which must be addressed in the facility’s operational plans. You would need to create facility standards to ensure student housing is safe, well-maintained, and properly staffed; develop community contracts to ensure  student and community cooperation, and provide opportunities for students to be involved in neighborhood and civic affairs.

Growing enrollment will continue to create demand for student housing in Danville. Averett, private developers, and the community should consider student housing in the River District to help further integrate Averett into the community, help reduce congestion on the Main campus, open up additional space for academic rooms, draw business to the River District, and continue to make Danville and Averett an attractive place for students, residents and tourists.