EdR Collegiate Housing to Pitch New Student Housing Development at UNT

A new mixed-use development is in the early planning stages at EdR Collegiate Housing.

The proposed structure would sit directly across from the University of North Texas on West Hickory Street in Denton, Texas, and provide student housing for 300 to 400 students starting in 2017.

A Voertman’s Book Store and Subway currently occupy the space, and during construction would operate out of a temporary structure in the parking lot immediately behind their current location. According to current project plans both the bookseller and the sub shop would reopen on the ground floor of the student housing development upon completion in 2017.

Humphreys & Partners Architects of Dallas have been chosen to design the project, which would begin construction in February. Additionally, the proposed structure promises a parking garage and limited underground parking for students and area shoppers.

This development follows after several years of increasing enrollment at UNT and Texas Women’s University, which inspired EdR to look into potential student housing projects in the area. After a slight dip in numbers in 2014, both Denton schools posted record enrollment this fall (37,231 at UNT and 12,557 at TWU). Some ongoing strategies such as offering in-state tuition to Oklahoma residents and promoting fixed-rate tuition plans account for the rapid rise and suggest continued growth in the future.

According to project planner Robert Baldwin, it’s important to EdR to get the community on board with the new development early.

“Denton is full of people who like to participate in the development review process and the zoning process,” he told the Denton Record Chronicle, “so we want to get with these people early before we file anything so we can have them help us create a zoning application that doesn’t step on anyone’s toes.”

Baldwin will present the building proposal to the Denton planning division and city officials at a public meeting on Sept. 29.

Photo credit: “UNT Eagle statue” by JohnTree – self-made. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:UNT_Eagle_statue.jpg#/media/File:UNT_Eagle_statue.jpg