KTGY-designed Mixed-use Student Housing Development to Break Ground at the University of La Verne

March 16, 2011 - PRLog -- IRVINE, Calif. - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that it is providing architectural design services for a new 103,255-square-foot mixed-use retail and student housing building to be developed by Hanover Pacific, LLC at the University of La Verne (ULV) in La Verne, Calif. Located on the site of a former campus parking lot, the new building will add 378 beds and approximately 8,300 square feet of ground floor retail for a new university bookstore. A ground breaking ceremony will be held on the site at the end of March to celebrate the commencement of construction.

Situated at the south end of campus at the intersection of "D" Street and 2nd Street, the unit layout includes a combination of single- and double-occupancy bedrooms and a living space. However, the majority of the 68 units are four-bedroom units serving six students. As students living in the new facility will be expected to take part in the university food services plan, kitchens will not be included in any of the units except those for the resident advisors.

According to Robert Y. Kim, executive managing director of Irvine-based Hanover Pacific, LLC, "This project will be an asset to ULV well into the future not only because it will bring new student housing to the campus but also because of KTGY’s design and attention to building function. Both the unit and building design encourages student interaction within the units but also among different floors with the use of shared common areas, differently programmed lounges and ample study areas on each floor."

The architecture takes its cues from downtown La Verne and relies on the ground floor bookstore to serve as a continuation of the retail street frontage found further down “D” Street, says David Senden, a principal with Irvine-based KTGY Group, Inc. and the lead designer on the project. "The pedestrian plaza space at the corner of 'D' Street and 2nd Street will help activate the campus edge and serve as a gateway marker for the university. Internal to the site is a large resident courtyard that will serve student activities and be a backdoor entrance for students coming from the parking area," Senden says.  

"The new student housing facility will assist the university in accommodating the current needs of its student population as well as assist in the recruitment and retention of new students in the future," adds Senden. "Today’s students are informed and sophisticated consumers of 'products' and 'services' and enjoy, if not demand, a wide range of academic opportunities. They will ultimately base their choice of academic institution on the 'total experience;' one that satisfies their financial, social, and environmental needs.

"We feel that this development will help set a new standard for campus living at the University of La Verne," says Kim. "While providing a safe learning environment that is so important to parents, it also gives the students the proximity to campus and the active social environment they crave and enriches their collegiate experience at ULV."

Kim continues, "The new mixed-use building is an important building for ULV during an important time; not only will ULV have new housing to better meet its growing enrollment, it also coincides with the retirement of Dr. Stephen Morgan, Ed.D., who as president of ULV since 1985, has provided leadership through some of ULV’s most important growth periods. Dr. Morgan’s successor, Dr. Devorah Lieberman, Ph.D., will be ULV's first female president in the school's 119-year history. It is an exciting time at ULV."

The University of La Verne is a private research university located in La Verne, California, about 35 miles east of Los Angeles. Founded in 1891, the university is composed of the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Public Management, College of Education and Organizational Leadership, College of Law, and a Regional Campus Administration that oversees seven regional campuses. The University offers a full spectrum of degrees, including bachelors, masters, and doctoral.  

About Hanover Pacific
Hanover Pacific (HP) develops unique student housing and faculty/staff housing communities in mostly urban areas through innovation, initiative and synergy. HP works in partnership with campuses to develop multi-discipline approaches to help solve many of the housing challenges faced today by colleges and universities. HP’s dynamic approach to housing development brings strong expertise in land acquisition, development, construction and finance, specific to higher education.  See www.hanoverpacific.com.

About University of La Verne
Since 1891, the University of La Verne has been dedicated to the belief that a quality, values-based education enriches the human condition by engendering service, scholarly accomplishment, and professionalism. Though decades of growth have changed its appearance and reach, La Verne has retained its sense of purpose, seeking to provide students with individual attention to spark personal growth through intellectual challenge and development. The University takes pride in knowing its nearly 50,000 alumni worldwide have made a difference in their professions and communities. Located in La Verne, California, the University of La Verne is located about 35 miles east of Los Angeles. See www.laverne.edu.

About KTGY Group, Inc.
Established in 1991, KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, provides comprehensive planning and award-winning architectural design services for residential communities, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and related specialty developments. KTGY delivers innovative solutions that reflect clear understanding of development, marketing and financial performance and takes particular pride in its highly motivated and principal led studios. Serving clients worldwide, KTGY maintains offices in Irvine, Oakland and Santa Monica, Calif., Denver, Colo., and Tysons Corner, Va. See www.ktgy.com.