Bloomington’s plan commission approved the final proposal for a new student housing complex Monday night that will have 1,061 bedrooms and 679 parking spaces.
The new development called “The Standard” is planned on seven-acres of land at East Brownstone Drive and 14th Street, just south of Memorial Stadium.
READ MORE: City Council Greenlights New Student Housing Complex On E. Brownstone Drive
The property is currently being used by Brownstone Terrace apartments but will be replaced by the new structure with 440 units, 15% of which will be set aside for affordable and workforce housing.
“It’s roughly two-thirds at the lower of the two, so affordable, and one-third at the higher, workforce," said Aaron Stange of Landmark Properties.
Landmark Properties is the the petitioner and builder of the project.
Stange said another special feature of the complex is that one of the units will be reserved for a Bloomington Police officer to provide additional safety and security.
“We’ve had an increase in vandalism in that area anyway and I have concerns about that many more bodies just in general being in the area, especially youthful exuberance," said Kay Ogles, president of Windfall Dancers.
Windfall Dancers is located across the street to the northeast of the site. Ogles said security and parking are her main worries with adding more student housing.
The project proposal shows the complex will have three separate buildings—five to six stories tall-- facing north toward 14th Street with a parking garage in between.
“I think there is concern, especially now if there is going to be retail as well, that there will be adequate parking for not only the residents, but also for any business," said plan commission member Susan Sandberg.
Stange said the parking garage doesn’t have an exact number of spaces designated for visitor parking in the plans yet, but he said there will be enough for surrounding businesses.
Construction of the project is scheduled to begin in July 2021 and is estimated to be finished by August 2023.
