The Griffin Gainesville Student Apartments
DSA was approached by a property management group to design a contemporary student living community with a prominent amenity space to attract residents in Gainesville, Florida. However, there was a catch - the structure's site was on a very tight property with four different zoning classifications at each edge: an urban street to the north, single family residential to the east, a protected wetland to the south, and an existing urban development to the west that needed to tie aesthetically with the new community. Never backing down from a challenge, our team designed this 294-bed mixed-unit student living complex, maximizing the space on the site while also adhering to the different zoning requirements. The new community has its own distinct identity while also blending seamlessly with the existing building to the west. The complex contains four buildings: a 6-story residential tower with one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments, and three townhome style buildings with four-, five-, and six-bedroom unit types. The townhomes are three floors each, falling within the height and building type required for the single-family zoning on the east side. All units are fully furnished for students with a bed-to-bath parity, with the townhomes including an additional half bath for guests on the ground floor. In addition to the residential space, the residential tower also includes the leasing office and several shared amenity spaces. These spaces include gathering spaces with televisions and gaming equipment, private study spaces, a mailroom, a computer room, a social lounge with a shared kitchen and cafe and bar-style seating, a gym, and parking garage. On the second floor, there is an elevated outdoor amenity deck facing the main urban thoroughfare to the north complete with a recreation area, outdoor kitchen and seating, and a pool deck.
