Despite a vacillating real estate market, new apartment buildings are being constructed all over Gainesville. Many people may wonder why builders are taking the time and money to invest in new buildings when there may not be a market for new buyers as enrollment for UF plummets. "Student housing does not always follow the regular real estate market and it is hard to predict how all of the new apartment complexes will do," said Phil Wagner of Trimark Properties. "Enrollment is only one factor and you have to take into account individual student preferences, tag-alongs who follow their friends to the university, and students attending Santa Fe Community college." The real estate in Gainesville has many sub-market or "market niches", so it is important to look at each of them separately and see how the individual markets are doing, Wagner said. One of the market niche's that seems to be fairing well in the real estate market is new luxury apartments close to campus. Trimark's niche is building apartments in walking distance of UF, and is currently building a luxury apartment complex called Ashton Lane, located on S.W. 10th Ave. and S.W. 6th Ave. "We are responding to the high demand for new apartments close to campus," said Peter McNiece, director of development for Ashton Lane. "Especially the demands of parents who want their sons and daughters to live near the campus." The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship program has also played a role in the demand for new luxury apartments, McNiece said. Now, tuition is not as large of an expense and some students have more money to spend on housing, and they are able to choose more luxury style apartments. "For some students, this type of housing is more of what they are accustomed to like when they were living at home," McNiece said. "This would have never worked 20 years ago when Gainesville was covered in squalor." Bradley Goldberg, a junior at the University of Florida, decided to re-locate to University House apartment complex because of quality and location. "I get a beautifully furnished, brand new apartment that is walking distance from campus and caters to my needs as a student," Goldberg said. Although location close to campus may play a large factor in the success of these new apartment complexes, it is not always the deciding factor. What the students perceive as luxury is also changing, and the inclusion of wood floors, granite counter tops and spacious closets, are a few standards students go by, Wagner said. Brian Blumenaur, leasing agent for the The Woodlands of Gainesville, said that design and quality help the apartments sell themselves. We are 95 percent full pre-leased for next fall semester, and that has a lot to do with the newer and better quality students are seeking out when shopping around for apartments, Blumenaur said. "The owners really looked at what the older apartment complexes had to offer and accommodated for everything they found wrong with them," Blumenaur said. "For example, we offer wood floors while older places offer cheap-looking linoleum." So how will the older apartment complexes compete with this high demand for brand new apartments? Many of the apartment buildings are going through renovations to keep up with the new competition, and are counting on their reputation and word of mouth. "We have been around since 2000 and recognize that there are new complexes being built around Gainesville," said Natasha Weber, leasing agent at Campus Lodge. "We are definitely still doing well, but we are going through small renovations to keep up." | 
