EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) – Construction has just begun on the new Capstone Collegiate Communities student housing project in downtown Eugene and while the building isn't even close to being finished, the part that will be ready by fall is already almost full. The Capstone project is officially called “13th and Olive.” Project managers say the phase one portion currently construction will be done in fall 2013 with 380 beds available for students.
Already, a project spokesman says the complex has 377 applications in and a waiting list is starting up for those interested in living in the building.
Crews are now doing the framing work on the first of two buildings at the 13th and Olive apartments. Building one is located near 12th Avenue Alley and Willamette Street on the footprint of the old Eugene Clinic / PeaceHealth Clinic building.
When it's complete, the phase one building will be 5 stories tall and have more than 700 beds. When the 380 students move into available beds in fall 2013, the rest of the building will remain under construction.
Crews are also building a parking garage on the phase one site. The garage will have more than 600 spaces for cars and more than 200 spaces for bikes. Project associates hope the apartments give downtown Eugene another big economic boost by the end of the year.
“You know, you take that along with Titan Court, there's going to be a lot of action, a lot of people downtown that are going to be able to support restaurants, stores, entertainment venues and other things that are planned for the downtown area,” said Pat Walsh, a spokesman for Capstone Collegiate Communities' 13th & Olive Apartments project.
“The students want to be where there are things to do and there's more and more things to do downtown,” said Walsh.
Crews will begin work on the project's second building this spring. The phase two building will sit on the corner of 13th and Olive. When that building is complete, it will have around 500 beds, an additional parking garage of around 420 spaces and more bike parking.
Total parking for the entire project will cover about 80% of the total number of beds available. When the whole project is finished by the end of 2014, more than 1,300 students could live in 13th and Olive if the building hits capacity.
