Freshly grilled seafood prepared for tailgating and a fullystocked refrigerator of beer on command are just some of theamenities an Alabama development group plans to offer residents ofits new 100-unit condominium complex right outside the North Gatesof campus.
Capstone Development Corporation, who also owns the UniversityCommons on Burbank Drive, plans to begin construction in January2005 on the corner of Nicholson Drive and West Chimes Street, andhopes to have it ready for the 2005 football season.
Capstone Senior Vice-President Will Bru said they plan to teardown existing apartments and build the new luxury complex acrossfrom the Natatorium and near the fieldhouse.
Bru said the condos, called The Fieldhouse, all will be forsale, ranging from $150,000 to $499,000, unless an owner opts torent it.
Bru said the condos are targeted exclusively at alumni and avidsports fans.
“They’re not really intended for students,” Bru said.”Everything we’re going to do is targeted at the big LSU fan.”
He said the complex also will include small retail spacetargeted at the residents such as a small pub or a coffee shop.
Some students, however, do not like the idea of a complex soclose to campus not directed at students.
Courtney Rawls, a mass communication junior that lives in SouthGate Towers — a new higher-end complex just outside campus — saidshe does not think they should continue to build expensivecomplexes right next to campus but not directed at students.
But the the concept of building condos solely for out-of-townfans is not original.
Bru said developers have built complexes in other college townssuch as Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Joanne Sandlin, assistant manager of Gameday Centers at theUniversity of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, said all their units are soldout.
Sandlin said the “stay where you play” concept is verypopular.
She also said developer Gary Spillers opened centers inTallahassee, Fla. and Auburn, Ala., and currently is developingcenters in Athens, Ga., Clemson, S.C., Knoxville, Tenn., andLexington, Ky.
“He is planning on building one in every SEC city,” Sandlinsaid. “I guess they beat him to it.”
But Sandlin said Spillers developments only house around 48units, about half as many as Capstone’s.
Capstone also said they hope the new development will improvethe economically suffering area.
Bru said the University has been very receptive to Capstone’splans and hopes it will help improve that edge of campus.
“We think it’s going to be a catalyst for more improvement ofthe [North Gate] neighborhood,” Bru said.