New Student Housing Breaks Ground at University of La Verne

Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor

La Verne, Calif.–Hanover Pacific L.L.C. has broken ground on a 378-bed, 103,250 square-foot mixed-use student housing property at the University of La Verne in La Verne, Calif. Located on the site of a former campus parking lot, the new building will also add about 8,300 square feet of ground-floor retail for a new university bookstore.

Most of the 68 units are four-bedroom units serving six students, though the property’s layout includes some single- and double-occupancy bedrooms plus a living room. Since students living in the new facility will be expected to take part in the university food-services plan, kitchens will not be included in any of the units, except those for the resident advisors.

The design encourages social interaction. Both the unit and building design encourages student interaction within the units but also among different floors by providing shared common areas, differently programmed lounges and study areas on each floor.

“Today’s students are very social,” David Senden, principal with KTGY Group Inc., which designed the property, tells MHN. “Students are looking for club rooms, lounges, and amenities that allow them to stay close to home and relax outside of their rooms without a trek to the student union. In conjunction with these amenities, it’s important for the management to integrate programs and functions that bring students together.”

The architecture takes its cues from downtown La Verne and relies on the bookstore to serve as a continuation of the retail street frontage found farther down “D” Street, according to Senden. “The pedestrian plaza will serve as a gateway marker for the university,” he says. “Internal to the site is a large resident courtyard that will serve student activities and be a backdoor entrance for students coming from the parking area.”

The University of La Verne is a private research university located about 35 miles east of Los Angeles. Irvine, Calif.-based Hanover Pacific specializes in urban infill projects, both residential and commercial. KTGY Group provides architectural design for residential properties, retail, hospitality and mixed-use developments.