Creekwalk Commons developers should focus on students from universities outside of Syracuse University. The luxury apartment complex offers several benefits, but not enough to justify its high costs and distance from main campus for an undergraduate student at SU.

Creekwalk Commons started construction on Friday, according to a March 21 Post-Standard article. The building near Armory Square is expected to become a four-story apartment able to house 146 residents. The complex is planning to house students from local universities including but not limited to SU.

According to the Post-Standard article, rent is predicted to cost $985 per person for a two-bedroom apartment. That would be about $4925 per semester for a two-bedroom apartment, compared to South Campus apartments, which will cost $4745 a semester, according to SU’s 2014–15 housing rates.

At that price, it doesn’t make much sense for an SU student to want to live downtown. Some students move downtown for its lower cost of living, sacrificing proximity to campus for cheaper rent. By living in Creekwalk Commons, an undergraduate would sacrifice both. While there is an existing market for luxury apartments such as Park Point Syracuse and University Village Apartments, downtown Syracuse is not a better location for undergraduates at SU.

There are similar and better options closer to SU’s main campus for students who are hoping to save time and energy on commuting. James Breuer, the project’s director and contractor, said in May that college students are rarely represented as residents downtown — and for good reason. Living downtown usually means separation from friends who live near main campus, a difficult parking situation for cars and missing out on campus activities because of the distance.

Creekwalk Commons provides a nice housing alternative for students who are frequently downtown, such as students who are frequently at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse and the Syracuse Student Sandbox. But this is too niche of a group to target if the developers want to fill up all 146 apartments.

Developers should focus on students from other universities, such as Upstate Medical University, or SU graduate students as they are more likely to rent an apartment downtown.

While Creekwalk Commons has its advantages, it does not provide enough to attract SU undergraduate students. For the complex to be a success, it needs to target other groups besides SU undergraduates.

Published on March 25, 2014 at 1:00 am