Taking Over Student Housing Management

By Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor

Richmond, Va.—Time Equities Inc. has tapped ROSS Management Services, a multifamily property management specialist with nationwide interests, to take over management of Coliseum Lofts in Richmond, Va. The property is a 123-unit market rate, student-oriented community at 1359 West Broad Street.

The location is directly across the street from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in the Monroe District of Richmond. VCU is a public research university with an enrollment of about 31,000. Coliseum Lofts offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments along with several live-work spaces.

The units feature sleeping lofts, high ceilings with skylights and ceiling fans and exposed brick walls, with utilities, Internet and cable included in the rent. Common amenities include a business center, entertainment room with video games and recliners, bike racks and an electronic entry system.

According to ROSS Management Services COO David J. Miskovich, the company plans to revamp the property’s digital marketing strategy to make it easier for students, and their parents, to find information on Coliseum Lofts and to lease an apartment. As part of the effort, the new manager will boost the property’s search engine marketing program, including its search engine optimization activities and its pay-per-click advertising efforts, while also implementing technologies that enable students to lease and parents to co-sign for leases online.

Also, ROSS will employ its reputation management platform to strengthen Coliseum Lofts’ reputation on review sites like Yelp, ApartmentRatings and Google. It will likewise update technology-based services for Coliseum Lofts residents, including the addition of online rent payments, an online resident portal and resident satisfaction surveys.