Lynda Lipinski, Iris Beemster, John McColl, kaumatua Tamati Tata, Marty Grenfell, and Alister Jones in front of the new Selwyn Street Studios. Photo / George Novak
Lynda Lipinski, Iris Beemster, John McColl, kaumatua Tamati Tata, Marty Grenfell, and Alister Jones in front of the new Selwyn Street Studios. Photo / George Novak
A $20 million student accommodation building in Tauranga's CBD will provide another option for students as the cost of living in the city climbs.
The four-storey development could be the first of many near the Waikato University campus in Durham St.
Dozens of people gathered at the Selwyn Street Studiosat 38 Selwyn St for a blessing yesterday morning.
Quintex Properties Holdings company director John McColl said the project had been three years in the making.
The building featured 90 fully furnished standard rooms with ensuites and three accessible studio rooms, as well as communal areas, including a large commercial kitchen and dining area. There is also a managed reception and separate manager's accommodation.
"This building is a substantial investment in the city's CBD and will not only benefit the tertiary precinct by offering the best in student accommodation but also the wider community in helping strengthen this period of revitalisation currently under way in the CBD."
McColl said he would love to build more student accommodation in the city but it came down to "supply and demand".
The Bay of Plenty Times reported in June high school students' decisions on where to study were being swayed by the cost of housing and they were ruling out some universities.
The cost to live in the new self-catered accommodation was $250 per week, including water, internet and power.
The latest Trade Me data shows the median weekly rental in Tauranga in May cost $575 per week, up 6.5 per cent year-on-year.
Students can get living costs up to $242.53 a week through their student loan, or a weekly student allowance starting at $240 that does not need to be paid back if living away from home.
University senior deputy vice-chancellor Professor Alister Jones. Photo / George Novak
University senior deputy vice-chancellor Professor Alister Jones said the city needed more accommodation long term if "Tauranga wants to be a university city".
"You can't have a university without student accommodation.
"When you have a CBD campus you need to think about accommodation, parking, and recreation. You have to create that whole ecosystem."
Selwyn Street Studios will officially open in 2022 but students can apply for accommodation on August 1 this year.
"We're in the middle of the year where most of the university enrolments are already done in March. So most people would already have their accommodation."
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said the city's housing shortage was impacting everyone, especially low-income earners like students.
Plus, rents in the city centre were generally higher compared to other suburbs, he said.
The Selwyn Street Studios. Photo / George Novak
"We need a variety of housing options, particularly as students in other university cities across New Zealand are typically located in neighbourhoods with the cheapest rents.
"The city centre student apartments are great marketable options for higher-paying foreign students, who are also typically car-less."
Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt said this was the first of what will be many options for student accommodation for the university.
"The university is a huge asset for the city and its growth will help lead the resurgence in the CBD – students will be a big part of that."
