Iowa State University to Add Housing Complex

AMES, Iowa — The Opus Group has announced plans to construct a six-story residential and retail complex near the Iowa State University campus. The facility, known as The Foundry, will feature 53 units and 144 bedrooms with 7,500 square feet of ground-level retail space.

“The Foundry will be a one-of-a-kind space, setting the standard for high-quality student housing at the front door of campus,” said Jason Conway, director, real estate development, Opus Development Company, L.L.C. “No other student housing options offer the comfort and convenience The Foundry will bring to Iowa State University.”

When completed, The Foundry will be located directly adjacent to the university campus, and will offer students a unique alternative to on-campus living. The Foundry’s lower level will include space for several retail shops, while the upper levels will be dedicated to student apartments.

The Foundry residents will be able to choose from fully furnished two- and four-bedroom boutique units, featuring granite counters and stainless steel appliances. They will also have access to amenities not often available in traditional student housing, such as a large fitness center, study lounges, bike storage, a game room, private heated underground parking and a common area.

The modern, brick building will be constructed on the site of the school’s former campus bookstore. Demolition of that building will begin in May 2014, and construction is slated for completion in time for the fall semester in 2015.

This project marks the third such endeavor for The Opus Group in recent months. The firm completed two luxury student housing structures at the University of Minnesota in September 2013, and is currently completing work on similar facilities on university campuses in Madison, Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

The facility’s project team includes Opus Development Company, L.L.C. and Opus Design Build, L.L.C. Opus AE Group, L.L.C. has partnered with award-winning design firm Elness Swenson Graham Architects Inc. of Minneapolis on The Foundry’s design. Elness Swenson Graham also has a long history designing residential spaces, and has completed designs for nearly two-dozen student living complexes.