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UMW approves rates for new apartments at Eagle Village Date published: 12/20/2009
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
University of Mary Washington students will be able to live year-round at the new apartments in Eagle Village for $8,000. UMW's board of visitors recently approved rates for the two-bedroom units, now under construction at the former Park Shop retail center across U.S. 1 from the Fredericksburg campus. The university is offering 12-month leases because many students stay in Fredericksburg over the summer and others don't want to have to move their belongings, said Executive Vice President Rick Hurley. "That's a trend that we noticed was going on across the country," he said. A traditional nine-month lease will cost students $6,900--about $1,100 less than the year-round rate. Students will live two to a room. The 212,000-square-foot housing complex--which will have 156 apartments--is scheduled to open in August 2010 and will be called Eagle Landing. UMW's nonprofit foundation is developing the project. Hurley said the rates are "competitive" with other university apartments statewide. For instance, George Mason University this year is charging $7,100 for nine-month leases at its Potomac Heights apartments. "We're not the highest, and we're not going to be the lowest," Hurley said. "But it's competitive, and that's where we wanted to be." The university estimates that its apartments on William Street will cost $5,535 next year for students who live two to a room for nine months. Undergraduates with their own bedrooms would pay $6,726, based on projections. The board of visitors hasn't signed off on those figures. However, it approved Eagle Landing's rates this month to help with marketing efforts. Juniors, seniors and graduate students can sign up for the apartments in February. "A strong marketing program must be rolled out beginning in January 2010 to ensure that the new apartments are fully occupied," states a resolution on the new rates. Also in January, the school plans to unveil a life-size model of an Eagle Landing apartment at the former Frank's Nursery & Crafts building. "We built it right up against the window so you can look inside," said Jeff Rountree, the CEO of UMW's nonprofit foundation. Officials will host open houses for students and plan to post a video tour of the mock apartment on UMW's Web site. Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402
I graduated from MW in 06 and can tell you tha there were always
more people who wanted housing than rooms to go around, and I had
many friends who moved off campus only because they wanted an
apartment instead of a dorm room but couldn't get one from the school.
With the new president ending the practice of forcing rooms built for 2 to
house 3 this is even more true-the college is currently renting
aparments on Cowan Blvd to house "on campus" students. I'm sure
they'll have no trouble filling Eagle Village
Hopefully if all the apartments are not filled, they will open to sophmores & freshmen? My child was just accepted there for next fall - but I am concerned about the housing arrangements.
or per apartment?
What if the upperclassmen decide to not rent for UMW and go
for a local residence? What will de done with all that extra
room?
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