[spyguy]

THE OPUS GROUP ANNOUNCES START OF CONSTRUCTION FOR UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT


The Opus Group (Opus) in partnership with The Carlyle Group announced today the start of construction on a new 14-story student living community on the edge of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. The building will include 218 units ranging from junior studios, which feature full size kitchens and a custom built-in murphy bed / sofa combination, to four bedroom units with private bathrooms for each bedroom, for a total of 548 bedrooms.

"We are excited to bring this next-level living experience to students at the University of Illinois," said Ben Angelo, senior director, real estate development, Opus Development Company, L.L.C. "This project allows us to build on our dedicated student housing expertise and fulfill the evolved demand for upscale student living in a great community."

Located on the northwest corner of John and 4th streets, the development will be built on a subdivided lot where the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house is located and the fraternity will be re-built on a retained portion of the lot at a later date. All units will feature full size stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops in the kitchens, simulated wood flooring in the common spaces, carpeted bedrooms and in-unit washers and dryers. High-end finishing touches also include tile shower surrounds, contemporary fixtures in the bathrooms and showerheads enabled with Bluetooth speakers. Ninety-five percent of units will have a private bathroom for each bedroom.

In addition to the luxurious individual living spaces, the building's shared amenities will include an indoor basketball court, fitness center and spa on the second floor. A coffee bar, group study rooms and lounges will provide additional spaces for students to gather on the third floor. The fourth floor will feature a club room with pool tables, ping pong tables and large screen TVs leading to an outdoor amenity space with a pool, fire pits and grilling stations.

With security as a top priority in student living spaces, each bedroom will have solid doors and individual locks for each resident to secure belongings in their space. The building will also be fully access-controlled with key fob entry points, security cameras throughout and onsite property management.

Construction began in December 2017 and will be complete prior to the 2019 fall academic semester. This project is a joint venture partnership between Opus and The Carlyle Group. Opus Development Company, L.L.C. is the developer, Opus Design Build, L.L.C. is the design builder and Opus AE Group, L.L.C. is the architect and structural engineer of record. Tempe, Arizona-based Creative License International is the interior designer for the project. Cardinal Group will lease and manage the property.