Condos for FIU Students, Faculty, and Staff Under Construction
If you’re looking to buy a condo in Sweetwater, you soon have the opportunity – but with one catch: occupants of the condo must be registered Florida International University (FIU) students, staff, or faculty, per the Miami Herald.
University Developments, which is a partnership between Miami-based Global City Development and two Toronto firms, is planning to a build a 20-story building on a 1.7-acre lot at 750 SW 109th Ave. The project, called University Bridge Residences, will have 492 units which range in size from 300-square-foot studios to 1,634-square-foot four-bedroom units. Prices will range from $190,000 to $700,000.
The project will be across the street from the university’s main campus. When completed, it will be the first of its kind in Miami-Dade County. FIU is the fastest growing university in Florida, fourth largest in the United States, but only provides housing for 8 percent of its 55,000 student population.
“FIU has enjoyed tremendous growth in both students and reputation as one of the region’s top universities,” Brian Pearl, principal of Global City Development, said in a press release. “As with many schools located within dense urban or suburban environments, there is a great need for housing. With its rapid growth, FIU has even more need than most, and we feel privileged to be part of the long-term solution.”
The project, whose interior and exterior will be designed by Miami-based architecture firm Arquitectonica, will feature 600 parking spaces and 7,200 square feet of ground-floor retail space that is expected to draw shops catering to students.
The building will feature amenities aimed at the college crowd, including shared study areas on each residential floor, a business center with four conference rooms, direct Internet access to FIU, and an outdoor video screen. The rooftop will feature a sunset terrace with dining areas, a yoga lawn, and performance stage.
The project will also be connected to the campus via a pedestrian bridge over Southwest Eighth Street and is expected to be completed by the start of the 2020-2021 academic year.