Pennsylvania State University students can get away from it all just 1.2 miles from campus, at The Retreat at State College. The property includes 138 units of housing for 587 students across 24 acres. With a stellar amenity package and ample amounts of green space, the complex is a place to truly escape from academic stress.
The team at Landmark Properties highlighted the neighborhood feeling of the community by including sidewalks, front porches, and back decks so students could enjoy the outdoors.
The community’s buildings take up only about half of the property, leaving the other half as green area to offer all kinds of fitness options. In addition to running trails, the outsized clubhouse includes strength and cardio areas.
Wes Rogers, CEO of Landmark, says the 16,000-square-foot clubhouse is truly spectacular. “[It’s] the largest, most expansive clubhouse we’ve ever built,” he says.
In addition to the fitness center, the development includes a sauna, spa, game room, study rooms, indoor basketball court, and racquetball court.
The living spaces are as spacious and grand as the amenity package. The 17 floor plans are set up for roommates in two- to five-bedroom units, and each bedroom includes a bathroom and large closet.
The staff was handed a challenge, since lease-up began before the community was built. The team had to convince students it was worth it to live a little farther from campus than usual.
Providing detailed visuals and featuring the same kinds of finishes in the leasing center allowed students to get a real feel for what was coming. The effort proved successful, and the community was 100 percent leased before construction was complete, Rogers says.
