As the apartment building under construction on the site of the old Maryland Book Exchange nears completion, students, store owners and council members anticipate its opening next fall.
The project, previously known as the Maryland Book Exchange project, has been rebranded as Landmark by its current developers, CA Student Living, the student housing unit of CA Ventures. While a different developer originally conceived the plans, CA Student Living purchased the rights to them in early 2013, breaking ground on the site last semester.
Located adjacent to Bagel Place and this campus at 7501 Baltimore Avenue, the completed complex will provide beds for 829 students. Among the amenities provided will be a courtyard, outdoor patio, fitness centers, tanning beds, a sauna and multiple study rooms.
“Landmark is perfect for students looking for modern and high-end, off-campus housing in College Park without having to sacrifice the camaraderie of the UMD residence halls,” said J.J. Smith, chief operating officer of CA Student Living.
For some students looking to sign leases for next school year, its location is a big draw.
“The location is perfect,” said Jessica Kamjou, a sophomore physiology and neurobiology major who signed her lease on Thursday. “I lived in The Varsity my freshman year and it’s pretty much the same; the location’s just a little bit better.”
Smith said it was the proximity to bars, restaurants, campus and Fraternity Row that drew the developer to the site. CA Student Living, a subsidiary of CA Ventures, develops apartments in university markets with 20,000 students or more in urban locations adjacent to campus, nightlife and Greek life, Smith said.
“This site is at ground zero in terms of our ideal site location criteria,” he said.
For Latoya Brown, owner of StyleSurrender, a clothing store located directly across the street from Landmark, the project’s location is ideal for a different reason.
“I can’t wait to have all the eyes over there,” Brown said. “There’s supposed to be retail on the first level so employees will be there too, so that’s even more business.”
However, not everyone is happy.
“I’m generally in favor of more student housing, but I was strongly opposed to this project, as were many other people,” said District 3 City Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich.
According to Stullich, the City Council was not in favor of the plan because it didn’t fit with the “Route 1 Sector Plan,” intended to encourage Route 1 development while protecting adjacent residential neighborhoods.
“We’re looking for high-rise developments to happen on the west side of Route 1, as opposed to the east side,” Stullich said. “It’s too big of a building to have next to single-family homes.”
Morgan Singer, a senior French and government and politics major, expressed similar dissatisfaction with the building’s size.
“I was really annoyed, because I’m in a sorority and we’re on Frat Row,” Singer said. “And it’s such an eyesore.”
Despite this, she agreed that the building’s location is attractive to students.
“It’ll be nice to have a nice apartment like the University View or The Varsity, but closer to everything fun,” Singer said.
What remains unclear is how Landmark will impact other off-campus student housing projects in the area, said District 4 Councilman Alan Hew.
“I’m not sure how long the market will support more student housing,” Hew said. “Developments like the View that are already constructed have found a niche to build themselves up, and I hope they won’t be seriously impacted by these odds.”
Stullich said that the market may have reached its saturation point.
“There are other student housing projects that have been approved, and the developers have not moved forward,” Stullich said. “I think that’s a sign that we may be reaching the saturation point and developers are less willing to take the risk of moving forward with construction.”
However, the site’s location may help it stand out in the market.
“Although it’s not a good design for the community, students want to live there,” Stullich said. “It’s very convenient.”
