If all of the hurdles are jumped, there will be a new Three Sixty Real Estate apartment complex, Aguilera, breaking ground in July on Badger and 13th street.
Three Sixty Real Estate has been planning this project for about eight years, designing the concept and acquiring property. The complex will house 175 residents and will include a fitness unit, corporate offices and a coffee shop.
Marvin Wanders, Three Sixty Real Estate Owner, said about the complex, “It’s a neighborhood based design. It’s a pedestrian focused project. For example, your typical mall, you have to get in a car to get there and use the services. But here, you’re close to the amenities and can get to the coffee without driving.”
The name of the complex, Aguilera, was chosen because it is the Spanish word for “eagle’s nest.”
When Wanders was asked about the name of the complex, he said, “It has multiple meanings. It’s a place where you would hang your hat and grow, eagle’s the UW-L mascot and also Spanish to represent some of the cultural diversity at UW-L.”
The UW-L campus is expanding, and so is the student enrollment. This project is comparable to the luxury apartments at the University of Minnesota or at UW – Madison.
Three Sixty Real Estate started off in student housing, so Marvin said this idea was inspired by “wanting to stay loyal to our roots and raise the bar of the expectations. We knew that we could do a better job of quality student housing.”
With the new arrival of The Hive, many students thought they would be the nicest apartments around. But, students may still be looking to be blown away by an apartment complex due to The Hive not fulfilling all students’ expectations. (See “The Horrors of The Hive” in previous The Racquet publication.)
The cost of living in Aguilera will be close to $500, which is similar to the cost of The Hive.
Junior, Maddie Mottaz, said, “I already pay for a fitness facility with my tuition, so I do not need to have one in my building. But, if coffee is included in the rent then I am in, but if I still have to pay for a $5 coffee, then no dice.”
However, the convenience of having all of those amenities in one location could be a major selling point to some students.
Wanders said, “We want it to be a place that people can hang out and lounge and study. We’re designing this and building it to serve the students housing needs. Our goal is to make sure that it has the amenities that they would want in a quality place to live.”
There will be 57 three-bedroom units as well as four one-bedroom units. The one-bedroom units are intended for Three Sixty staff to make sure the resident’s needs are met and to improve overall customer service.
The design for each apartment is not yet complete, but there will most likely be two bathrooms and washers and dryers in every unit. There will be lounge areas throughout the building, a green rooftop courtyard and outdoor seating at the coffee shop that will be heated to allow use during more of the year.
“The university has been very supportive of the project. They want to see good quality product like this in the neighborhood,” Wanders said.
They are still in the middle of the process, but if all goes well, the project will be completed by June 1, 2016 and ready for occupancy.