Harrison Street JV Builds Student Housing Project

A joint venture between LV Collective and Harrison Street Asset Management is developing Rambler, a 247-unit, 862-bed student housing community in Blacksburg, Va. Kennedy Wilson provided construction financing for the project. The property is set to come online in 2028, in time for the academic year.

Partners on the project include Brinkmann as general contractor, Niles Bolton as architect, as well as interior designer Variant Collaborative and landscape architecture firm Ironwood. DLA Piper provided legal counseling.

To rise eight stories at 801 N. Main St., the project is within walking distance of the Virginia Tech campus and less than 2 miles from the Virginia Tech golf course. Blacksburg’s city center is also within 1 mile.

Upon delivery, the community will comprise studio and one- to five-bedroom floorplans, including townhome units. Amenities are set to feature a ground-level coffee shop, coworking space with private study rooms, multisport simulator and an outdoor swimming pool with a hot tub. Additionally, the property will have a clubroom and social lounge, a fitness center, wellness lounge and a sauna.

Harrison Street’s growing student housing inventory

Harrison Street has more than $108 billion in assets under management globally. The company’s portfolio includes 28,000 student housing beds in the U.S., according to its website.

The firm has partnered before with LV Collective. Last year, the companies announced plans for College Park, a student housing development in College Park, Md. The project is set to comprise 1,003 beds across 288 units and 13,000 square feet of retail space.

Harrison Street is also working on Hub Tampa Fowler, a 1,195-bed student community in Tampa, Fla., with Core Spaces. Slated for completion in 2027, the project is part of a four-phase redevelopment of the University Mall area.