Construction on University Park, a 125-bed student housing complex on S. Lafountain Street, near the Indiana University Kokomo campus will begin later this year. The privately-developed complex will be strictly student housing.
“After the zoning process, we anticipate beginning in June,” said Dave Van Baalen, Managing Partner of 6G Properties, LLC. “We expect to be open in June or July of 2019.”
Units will be pre-leased and a website will be launched to accommodate potential tenants, Van Baalen said.
Mayor Greg Goodnight sees the development as part of the transformation of IU Kokomo, the fastest growing campus in the entire Indiana University system.
“This will only enhance the appeal of IU Kokomo as a destination campus,” Goodnight said. “This goes hand in hand with all the improvements and renovations at the school. We are excited that 6G Properties chose Kokomo for this investment.”
Indiana University Kokomo’s growth into a destination campus includes the addition of 12 athletic teams in the NAIA, a downtown art gallery and a proposed Student Activities and Event Center. The school currently enrolls more than 3,000 students and graduated a record number in 2017.
The complex will feature a 1:1 bed to bath ratio, allowing for greater privacy for students. Each unit will have common areas (kitchen and living room) but each bedroom will feature its own bathroom.
Van Baalen said the nature of a single-use, all-student housing development will also attract residents and will have the feel of a traditional college experience.
“There is a demand for housing all over Kokomo and especially near the university,” he said. “Students want to live near the campus and have easy access. It is a great location, close to city bike trails and walking paths.”