GAINESVILLE – Dedicated student housing on the Gainesville Campus of the University of North Georgia is off and running following a recommendation for approval by the Hall County Planning Commission Monday evening.
Earlier this year the University of North Georgia Real Estate Foundation agreed to sell just over 21-acres of campus property along Tumbling Creek Road to Georgia-based Mallory & Evans Development LLC.
According to Jonathan Beard, the attorney representing Mallory & Evans, the developer and UNG have known each other for a while. “Mallory & Evans has done a number of these projects, most notably with the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. They have a number of student housings located primarily across the southeast.”
The initial site plan presented to the county has 160-apartment style units divided among ten detached buildings; five buildings will be four stories while the other five buildings will be three stories in height. Also included in the plan is a club house and community swimming pool.
Hall County Planning Manager Sarah McQuade said, “That will be a total of 560 bedrooms.“
“All of these units will be rented to University of North Georgia students,” McQuade continued. “It’s not open to the public; it’ll be private housing for the campus; it’s just being developed privately.”
Beard explained, “They (Mallory & Evans) will own it; they will build it; they will run it. They will have a property manager to run it…it will be all in-house.”
Planning Commission Chairman Chris Braswell asked Beard, “Is there some sort of a formal agreement with the college? Is there some sort of agreement with University of North Georgia that it’s solely for them?”
“That is the understanding,” Beard answered, but admitted a formal documented agreement didn’t exist. He simply said, “The University has signed off on the plan presented to Hall County.”
A dead end road will run through the property according to the site plan. Commissioners asked if the road would be a public street and if there were future plans to have that road connect with roads currently in the campus network.
“It will eventually connect to Mathis Drive,” Beard answered.
Until recently UNG Gainesville leaders have been reticent on the topic of student housing plans, but strong student growth and stronger demand for available nearby housing has changed that dynamic according to Beard.
“UNG has grown to accommodate and certainly need that student housing,” Beard said following the meeting.
“Based on where things stand with COVID, I think the build-out would likely be, probably 2022,” Beard said. “I think the plan is to have it in place to be ready for school year 2022.”
Terry Merck, Vice President with automobile component manufacturer American Yazaki Corporation, spoke in semi-opposition to the project, expressing concern over the traffic the new residence complex will add to the winding two-lane roadway.
American Yazaki is adjacent to the development’s site and Merck said since the Tumbling Creek Road Bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks opened 18-months ago traffic congestion has increased exponentially.
“The congestion through this area has been horrendous,” Merck said. “But if it’s for UNG students only we’re totally committed to this taking place, and we’re fine with it, but we’ve got to get a traffic light at the end of Tumbling Creek Road where Atlanta Highway is.”
Despite Merck’s concern the recommendation for approval of the rezoning application by commissioners was unanimous; however, the final decision will rest with the Hall County Commission when they consider the application on November 12th.
