The approvals have been made and the plans are in order for an apartment complex to be built at 319 Bragg Ave.
"They'll be rental apartments," said Forrest Cotten, director of planning for the city of Auburn. "This development group intends to maintain ownership, and these'll be rentals. They won't be for purchase."
The complex's size will be modest compared to most student housing developments. The group is proposing 86 units in two buildings. The complex will offer two-, three- and four-bedroom units for a bedroom count of more than 300.
The apartment is expected to be an upscale complex based on the amenities it's offering, Cotten said.
Complex-wide amenities will include a clubhouse, fitness room, pool, lounge area and printing. The community will be gated.
Unit amenities include a washer and dryer, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors and high-speed Internet.
Barrett Development Group, based in Athens, Ga., is in charge of the development.
"Apartments for college students is kind of a niche market," Cotten said. "There are actually a number of different developers nationally that specifically target college communities to build their product in."
A date to begin construction has not been set. The completion date for the complex was initially planned for people to be able to rent the apartments in time for the Fall 2013 semester, but that date was delayed because of the market study.
"They perform what they call step-up analysis, where they examine different grades of student housing based on rent levels," Cotten said. "Typically you're going to have a certain level of the population that's going to be looking to step up if they can. They felt that in this particular level of student housing there would be step-up demand for this product."
The complex initially appeared on the Dec. 18, 2012 council meeting agenda. The item was tabled because Auburn City Council decided Barrett Development Group needed to perform a market study to justify that new housing was needed.
The development was approved by the Auburn City Council at its Tuesday, Jan. 22 meeting.
The complex is being built adjacent to the newly-opened Family Dollar, which is located on the corner of Bragg Avenue and North Donahue Drive.
The management of Family Dollar, which opened on Jan. 10, is hoping the apartment complex will lead to more business.
"It's a positive," said Patty Lewis, manager of Family Dollar. "It'll bring in foot traffic."
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