Community College Questions Need For New Student Housing Project

Plans for a 140-bed student housing project in Everett are being challenged by one of the colleges it is expected to serve.

The seven-story complex at 1020 North Broadway Ave. would have housing units on five floors and two levels of parking and retail space. It would house students from Everett Community College and Washington State University, The Daily Herald reports.

Koz Development, which built EvCC's first student housing, Mountain View Hall, is behind the project.

EvCC officials are pushing back on whether there are enough students to fill the project's beds. EvCC already has student housing for about 250 students and college officials question the need for more.

In addition, the 60 planned parking spaces are not enough to support 140 student residents and retail, EvCC officials maintain.

A Koz traffic study and data from the company's existing student housing developments show that a 1:2 ratio of parking to students is sufficient, company leaders said.

“The project is conceived much differently than a school-run dormitory and is not envisioned to cater to those individuals that desire a dormitory living environment,” Koz Vice President for Design and Construction Joshua Scott told The Daily Herald. “This project is intended to provide older students at the community college or students transferring as a junior or senior into WSU an affordable option for independent housing directly adjacent to both campuses. In short, we are targeting a different segment of the student population than is currently being served.”