KTGY-designed 332-Bed Student Housing Development Under Construction

Construction has commenced on a new 332-bed student housing community at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie. The new development features 84 apartments, which consist mostly of 4 bedrooms and 3 baths in primarily a townhouse-neighborhood with some flats near the community center, and a 4,000-square-foot community center combined with maintenance facilities. End Quote

Cheyenne, WY (1888PressRelease) August 01, 2011 - Award-winning KTGY Group, Inc., Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce the construction of a new 332-bed student housing community at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie. Under construction are 15 residential buildings and a 4,000-square-foot community center combined with maintenance facilities designed by KTGY. Located at 2512 Willet Drive in Laramie, the new development features 84 apartments, which consist mostly of 4 bedrooms and 3 baths in primarily a townhouse-neighborhood with some flats near the community center. The student housing community is slated for occupancy in August 2012.

According to KTGY's Dan McAllister, NCARB and principal, based in the company's Irvine office, "The development will be home to undergraduates and graduates in fully furnished apartments and will offer single-occupancy bedrooms and a mix of private and shared bathrooms. The new facility will help the University of Wyoming housing program provide their student residents a graduated product cycle and variety of price points."

"Students will be able to live in townhomes while still on campus, leading to a high level of privacy within each unit. Common space is on the ground level with three-quarters of the bedrooms upstairs. Two bedrooms have private baths and two share a bath. Varying accommodations provide higher and lower rent opportunities to meet budgets and needs more specifically than a one-size fits all scenario," said KTGY's Principal David Senden in Irvine.

The new student housing community will meet the requirements of LEED Silver status on the ever greening campus. High-efficiency room and water heating, use of recycled materials, low VOC paints and materials as well as covered bicycle storage are just a few examples of sustainable approaches used to further the design. Low-flow fixtures and reduced water consumption in landscape areas will go a long way toward saving ever diminishing clean water supplies, noted McAllister.

Outdoor amenities include large open spaces with walkways linking to adjacent on campus residential neighborhoods, the community center, transportation nodes and a bicycle way to the main campus located on the west side of the War Memorial Stadium and directly across the street from Cowboy Field, baseball stadium. Shops and hotels are nearby within easy walking distance.

Located on the southeast corner of the site, the community building connects to the community's main pedestrian pathway, which provides pedestrian access to the University shuttle system stop adjacent to the community. The community building is designed for student recreation and residence life programming and will also function as a visitor and administrative center for the University's student amenities. The facility will include meeting/study rooms, a mail center, and social lounge with a gaming area. It will also house a laundry room facility for use by residents of the adjacent existing University apartments. Exterior community amenities include a barbeque pavilion and bike storage.

"The fabric of the campus has been continuously improving over the years on this 125-year-old University," said McAllister. "With a population of 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 75 countries, housing is a premium and integral to the educational objectives of the University."

The architecture reflects the vast open spaces surrounding the City of Laramie with natural colors and stone to blend with major buildings on and off the campus. Buildings with battened siding and stone combined with gable roofs and covered porches provide a backdrop to outdoor activity on warm days and comfortable interiors for blustery winter days. A covered outdoor kitchen and casual dining area accommodates prairie cookouts for the Cowboys and Cowgirls of the University of Wyoming.

The developer is American Campus Communities, Inc. (NYSE:ACC), one of the largest owners, managers and developers of high-quality student housing properties in the U.S. Petra Construction of Meridian, ID, is the general contractor. The University will be the property manager.

"This project is a great example of how KTGY is able to service our clients nationally from our offices across the country," said Michael Ohara, AIA and principal in KTGY's Denver office. "Clients should know that they can get design expertise and market knowledge from any of our offices as they move across the country into different markets."

KTGY has completed nearly 5,000 beds for the University of California, Irvine (UCI) with American Campus Communities as the third-party developer. The most recent designs were LEED Gold certified. KTGY is currently under construction with a 379-bed mixed-use student housing and retail development for the University of La Verne in La Verne, Calif. with Hanover Pacific, LLC of Irvine as the developer. KTGY is also under construction on 400 beds at the Santa Clara University (SCU) in northern California with The Sobrato Organization of Cupertino, Calif. as the developer. KTGY has also provided architectural design services for a new, mixed-use, 183,000-square-foot graduate student housing project to be developed by Hanover Pacific, in downtown Pomona, Calif., adjacent to the campus of Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU), which will feature 348 beds along with approximately 10,000 square feet to be used by WesternU.

About the University of Wyoming (UW)
Founded in 1886, UW has a rich history as the state's only provider of baccalaureate and graduate education, research, and outreach services. Nestled between two mountain ranges in southeastern Wyoming, UW offers varied academic and lifestyle opportunities including year-round cultural and recreational activities. Located in Laramie, a town of 30,000 with a unique blend of sophistication and western hospitality, UW draws over 13,000 students from all 50 states and more than 75 countries. Recognized as 5th in America's Best College Buys, UW offers 190 areas of study, a small student/faculty ratio, and renowned faculty, and is among the nation's top universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report and Forbes. As a nationally recognized research institution, UW's global impact begins at our very own doorstep with innovative undergraduate and graduate research opportunities. UW provides an environment for success. See www.uwyo.edu.

About American Campus Communities
American Campus Communities, Inc. is one of the largest developers, owners and managers of high-quality student housing communities in the United States. The company is a fully integrated, self-managed and self-administered equity real estate investment trust (REIT) with expertise in the design, finance, development, construction management, and operational management of student housing properties. American Campus Communities owns 109 student housing properties containing approximately 67,600 beds. Including its owned, joint venture and third-party managed properties, ACC's total managed portfolio consists of 142 properties with approximately 92,400 beds. Visit www.americancampus.com and www.studenthousing.com.

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.

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