The Appeal of a Close Purpose-Built Student Housing Community

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

Knoxville, Tenn.—Campus Advantage and Pinecrest Partners have joined together to develop The Knox, a 101-unit, 382-bed community that will serve students attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“The appeal of this property is first and foremost its obvious superior location. The average purpose-built student housing in this market is about two miles from campus, and the overwhelming majority of it is south of the Tennessee River, so there’s a big physical barrier there for accessing campus,” Mike Peter, Campus Advantage’s president & CEO, told MHN. “We’ve got a roll-out of bed location that’s minutes from the stadium, minutes from the student center and just a few blocks from all the student-focused retail.”

Located at 1505 Clinch Ave., The Knox will feature three-, four- and five-bedroom apartments, each featuring a 42-inch television in its living room, wood-style flooring in the common areas, an in-unit washer and dryer, high-end finishes, stainless steel appliances and cable and high-speed Internet.

Overall, the community consists of two buildings—a five-level building and a six‐level building—and features two levels of gated garage parking and nine floors of residential space. Amenities include a Cyber Café, computer bar, lounge room with fireplace and large-screen televisions and fitness center, as well as an innovative, high-concept outdoor green roof with grills, water features, hammocks and a theater area.

“We have the physical amenities; a rooftop courtyard which offers the hot tubs and the cabanas and a relaxing area where they can enjoy some time with friends,” Christy Shorter, Campus Advantage’s vice president of special operations, told MHN. “We also have what appeals to the parents and students, which is our Students First™ Residence Life Program, which offers a little bit of community building and an opportunity to be successful through skill building both now and in the future.”

The property is in an area known as Fort Sanders, which is a block from where the academic buildings are located.

Campus Advantage now operates 45 student housing communities across 20 states.

“Our company philosophy really resolves around three things: creating a hassle-free environment that provides value and fun,” Peter said. “They can show up with their iPad and a toothbrush, and they’re pretty much ready to go.”