The demand for student housing near the University of Connecticut-Stamford has been strong enough over the past year that the school has decided to add about 120 more beds in nearby apartment buildings.
The university says that the UConn Board of Trustees has voted to authorize approval of leases at multiple properties in Stamford for apartments that the university would then rent to students.
The housing will be offered in addition to the apartments in a six-story, 116-unit building in Stamford that the university has been leasing to students since it opened last fall.
“This is clearly a case of demand significantly outpacing supply in the best way possible,” says UConn President Susan Herbst. “So we needed to work to meet that demand and provide housing for as many students as we can in Stamford. We began this experiment a year ago and have been delighted by how successful it is. It speaks to the value of good student housing, but also the value of the campus itself.”
UConn began offering housing last year for Stamford students after several years of work in response to student demand.
Although campus enrollment has been growing, the vast majority of students had to commute from other communities because they could not afford the rental rates for apartments in Stamford.
The Stamford student housing is a public-private partnership in which UConn holds a master sublease from the building’s developer and operates the apartments as student housing, making the cost much more affordable for students. The same arrangements will be in place with the owners of the additional properties that were approved by the Board of Trustees.
The housing has been popular among students who want a genuine urban university experience.
“Having our facilities separate but concentrated in the same area is very important, because it helps to create an urban neighborhood campus right here in Stamford,” says Herbst. “This is really a point of pride and growth we are excited to embrace. We look forward to seeing where it goes in the future.
University officials say more than 500 incoming UConn Stamford students had placed deposits on housing as of May 1.
Factoring in normal attrition of students over summer, officials estimate that the housing demand will be between 400 and 440 beds, which would have left a shortfall of 80 to 120 beds if the university did not secure more housing.
