As most upperclassmen search for campus housing earlier and earlier each year, a new luxury apartment complex will be opening in fall 2017 to accommodate Syracuse University’s consistent enrollment growth.

The undergraduate enrollment growth over the past five years has consisted of 56 percent out-of-state students, said Ryan Fetgatter, vice president of development at Aspen Heights Partners, in an email.

“This constituency of out-of-state students has enabled competitive off-campus student housing projects to achieve impressive occupancies,” Fetgatter said. “Aspen Heights Partners received financing this summer and started construction on the development in August to address the unique, growing demand in the Syracuse market.”

The new complex, Aspen Heights – Syracuse, is located on East Brighton Avenue and Thurber Street, east of Interstate 81.

There will be 490 beds available, which includes one-, two- and four-bedroom apartment options. Each bedroom also comes with its own bathroom. The prices for a four-bedroom apartment start at $999 a month and increase for the smaller options, Fetgatter said.

“We work with students in a number of ways to best determine how they can pay for their housing, whether they use financial aid, scholarships, or out-of-pocket funds,” Fetgatter said.

The company describes their apartment complexes as “affordable luxury living” on their website.

The luxury accommodations available at the Syracuse locations include a three-story clubhouse with a fitness facility, study rooms, tanning beds, a sauna and a game room. Within the apartments themselves they have furnishings such as granite countertops, nine-foot ceilings, laminate wood floors and stainless steel appliances, according to the representative and the company’s website.

Nicole Evans, a sophomore inclusive elementary and special education major, lived in Sadler Hall her freshman year.  But she wanted the independence of apartment living, so she moved to South Campus for her second year.

Evans has been considering different apartment options for next year. When she found the Aspen Heights website, she immediately put her name down on the interest list because when she weighed the prices against other off-campus apartments compared to their amenities, it seemed like the best options. She also emphasized that it actually winds up being cheaper than the university’s housing.

“They’re really nice. Very new and trendy in appearance and I really like that each bedroom comes with its own bathroom,” Evans said. “I looked at other apartments but the four-bedroom options at Aspen Heights were nicer for the cost. Especially because the apartments will be brand new, but it’s a well-known company so we know they’re trustworthy.”

Despite living on South Campus this year, Evans still said she thinks it can feel like she’s “on-campus,” and that the distance from campus would be more of a bonus for her than a disadvantage because it would allow her to be even more independent. She added that this was especially true when considering the fact that Aspen Heights is offering a direct shuttle to campus.

Pruthvi Kilaru, a junior bioengineering major, said he feels taking out loans to enjoy these luxury accommodations shouldn’t be the concern of the Aspen Heights company because they have to think like a business.

“It’s a personal choice that those students make. I am responsible enough to budget and make sure I can pay my bills and I think others should be too,” Kilaru said. “We are of the age where we can take out loans and we have to realize that we are going to have to pay those back.”

Kilaru has lived in Shaw and Booth halls and now South Campus. He said he is hoping to go abroad in fall 2017 so finding housing hasn’t been a primary concern for him, but he said had he needed housing he would have considered Aspen Heights when weighing his options.

Aspen Heights also welcomes students from other local universities and colleges. Also, students do not need to know who they would want for their roommates in advance because Aspen Heights will use a roommate matching system to help them find additional roommates, said Fetgatter, the representative.

“Leasing for fall 2017 has already begun. Aspen Syracuse has been in the market and on-campus speaking with students daily to discuss their housing options and have already started leasing to them,” Fetgatter said.

Published on September 20, 2016 at 11:05 pm

Contact BreeAnna: blposhek@syr.edu