BLINN BOARD SELECTS SERVITAS AS PARTNER AT NEW BRENHAM CAMPUS RESIDENCE HALL

  

The Blinn Board of Trustees has agreed to enter into negotiations with a real estate development firm for new student housing on the Brenham campus.

The board at its meeting Tuesday authorized the College to negotiate and execute a contract with Servitas to finance, design, construct, and operate a new 400-500 bed student housing facility on the Brenham campus.

Development of the new facility will follow the same public-private partnership model used to construct Mill Creek Hall, a 464-bed residence hall that opened to full capacity for the Fall 2018 semester. Servitas also partnered with Blinn for the development of that project.

Through this partnership, the residence hall will be developed on Blinn property, but built and managed by a private partner. Through this collaboration, Blinn can increase its student housing capacity in Brenham without having to fund the facility’s construction.

Blinn officials say the new student housing will accommodate enrollment growth on the Brenham campus. With 1,761 beds, Blinn in Brenham has more on-campus student housing than any other community college in the state.  However, the demand for on-campus housing continues to exceed supply, as Blinn opened the Fall 2019 semester with a wait list of approximately 150 students.

Servitas is a nationally recognized real estate development firm specializing in student housing. The firm provides its clients with services including market and demand research, development management, financial structuring (including public-private partnerships), construction management, and property management.  Servitas has developed over 45 higher education student housing projects nationwide and secured over $1 billion in tax-exempt financing.

During Chancellor Dr. Mary Hensley’s report, she announced work at the new Agricultural Science building on the Brenham campus is scheduled for completion ahead of its grand opening on Thursday, February 20th.  A ceremony is slated for 2 p.m. that day.

Dr. Hensley also mentioned a groundbreaking ceremony is set for 11 a.m. on Friday, March 20th for the new Science-Technology-Engineering-Innovation (STEI) building on the Brenham campus.  That facility is scheduled for completion and opening in August 2021.

In other business, the board authorized the College to request qualifications for professional services required for completing, consulting and monitoring Blinn’s three-year audit plan.  It also accepted the Washington County Appraisal District audit for Fiscal Year 2018-19.

Prior to regular session, trustees met in workshop to discuss Phase II of the RELLIS Campus project, as well as the structure of public/private partnerships for on-campus student housing projects.

What’s your Reaction?
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
Back to top button