Progressive Student Housing Planned for Tallahassee

By Jeffrey Steele, Contributing Writer

Tallahassee, Fla.—Plans have been announced by Parkland Development Corporation to build a 782-bed student apartment community in Tallahassee called The Forum at Tallahassee. The four-story property will rise at 2525 West Tennessee St., which will offer outstanding visibility and close proximity to the campuses of three important institutions of higher learning: Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College and Florida A&M University.

Ground will be broken this month on the development, and the first structure is expected to be ready for occupancy by February 2014. The entire community is slated for completion in May 2014.

“Tallahassee has one of the largest student populations in the country,” Harold Tomlinson, Parkland Development Corporation’s chairman and president, tells MHN. “That coupled with the fact most students in the market are demanding high-end communities with top-of-the-line amenities makes Tallahassee the right time and place for The Forum. Students are moving away from the lower-end projects in masses, and opting to pay top dollar to live in luxury.”

The Forum at Tallahassee will offer students one-, two- and four-bedroom floor plans. The units’ fully-furnished interiors will deliver contemporary designer finishes, granite countertops, 9-foot ceilings, crown molding, stainless steel appliances and wood-grain plank-style flooring, 50-inch flat-screen TVs, walk-in closets, full-size washers and dryers in laundry rooms and covered patios.

The gated community will be professionally managed by Greystar and will offer roommate matching and an active student living program.

Among the amenities at The Forum at Tallahassee will be an 11,000-square-foot pool deck and recreation area, its main feature being a resort-style pool with a beach entry, spa, and ping pong table and billiard table built into the pool.

A 20,000-square-foot clubhouse will offer indoor basketball and volleyball courts with bleacher seating, a two-story fitness center with TechnoGym equipment and a trio of tanning beds. A high-tech business center with multiple study rooms, free high-speed Internet, Wii gaming room with life-size screens, coffee lounge, media center and pet park will also beckon to students who demand nothing less than high-style luxury.

As for anticipated challenges, with considerable development entering the market, Tomlinson foresees intense competition to fully lease up. “We have spared no expense in creating a truly unique community,” he says. “We have bested our competitors with our one-of-a-kind project, and with Greystar at the helm, we are offering our residents an experience second to none.”

Tomlinson reports Parkland Development Corporation strives to ensure its apartments are a home away from home for students, and offer an experience they cannot get anywhere else. “Every detail of The Forum at Tallahassee has been designed around the student,” he says.

“No amenity has been left out or detail missed. And we cannot wait to make our community a home for students in the city of Tallahassee.”