When construction on The Vic at Interpose started back in 2021, developers knew they were building something different.
Designed to give Houston residents a prime location without all the high costs that typically come with one, The Vic would offer five stories of micro and studio apartments and sit atop more than 20,000 square feet of retail space.
Its location — just west of downtown Houston — would offer easy access to two of the city’s hottest neighborhoods: Montrose and The Heights.
As Kate Good, partner and senior vice president of multifamily development with Huntington Residential, — The Vic’s developer, explains, “Studio apartments enable a renter to find a home they can afford in an otherwise pricey location.”
But building smaller units was only one part of the equation. To keep rents affordable despite The Vic’s in-demand locale, minimizing operations and ancillary service costs was critical too.
That’s where DISH Fiber came in.
“Our goal was to find a provider who could deliver max speed for a minimum price,” Good says. “We felt that the DISH Fiber bulk buy offered this and at a price point we could roll into our amenity fee.”
The Vic’s amenity fee, which includes DISH Fiber internet and TV streaming services, is passed on to residents for $150 per month. Though that fee has increased from the $135 it started at last year, it’s a cost Good says residents are happy to pay, especially since it ensures internet and TV are available upon move-in.
“Our residents are very happy with the package,” Good says. “The ‘instant on’ feature makes moving day a smooth one.”
According to Good, pre-included Wi-Fi and TV are also a great asset to The Vic’s marketing team and are top selling points when meeting with prospective tenants.
“Our team leads all leasing and marketing efforts with the message that we have a total home package designed for luxury and affordability,” Good says. “This is resonating with today’s renter. We notice the ‘wow factor when a potential resident learns that their Wi-Fi and streaming TV are included in the price we are quoting.”
Bulk buying DISH Fiber also offers residents significant savings. According to Good, if residents were to purchase Wi-Fi and TV services separately, it would cost them nearly 60% more per month.
“It adds tangible value,” Good says.
The Vic opted for bulk Wi-Fi during its initial development stages, so the proper infrastructure was able to be incorporated from the start. This made for a seamless installation process and ensured the property was positioned for strong fiber connections for the long haul.
It’s an arrangement that’s been so successful, Huntington.  Residential is considering the same for additional properties in the works.
“I am proud to say we have a substantial pipeline of new projects in six markets,” Good says. “We are including DISH Fiber in our selection process.”
