Varsity at Ann Arbor | WDG: Architecture, Planning, Interiors

611 E. University Avenue Ann Arbor, MI	Campus Apartments	Completed 2018	13 stories, 185,300 SF, 343 bed mixed-use student housing. Includes amenity spaces, ground floor retail, bike storage, and 2.5 levels of structured parking for 54 vehicles.
Arlington Graduate Center, The George Washington University Arlington, VA	The George Washington University	Completed 2011	WDG provided a range of programming and interior design services for classroom, meeting, lab, and lounge space totaling 25,900-sf on two levels.
Boathouse Washington, DC	Urban Investment Partners (UIP)	In Progress	Mixed-use multifamily community totaling 151,000-sf. Full renovation of existing 117,000-sf residence hall plus a 34,000-sf addition and 5,000-sf of ground floor retail.
City Centre Lincoln Lincoln, NE	Newman Development Group	In Progress	10-story, 239-unit mixed-use residential building with 30,000 sf of retail and 85,000 sf of office space, below-grade parking and roof top amenities.
CUNY College of Staten Island, Dolphin Cove Student Housing Staten Island, NY	American Campus Communities / College of Staten Island	Completed August 2013	167,000-sf, 607-bed student housing development with 4,000-sf of study, lounge, and office space. Amenities include fitness center, study lounges, community rooms, and lecture/performance room.
HHMI Janelia Research Campus Apartments Ashburn, VA	Howard Hughes Medical Institute \| Photos © Maxwell MacKenzie	Completed June 2015	Phase I: 81,852-sf, 4 stories, 60 units; Phase II: 94,787-sf, 5 stories, 86 units, 23,500-sf of ground-level parking for 55 cars.
Madison Hall Study, The George Washington University Washington, DC	The George Washington University	Completed 2010	Feasibility study for the renovation of a 204-bed student residential hall that consists of eight residential levels and one basement level; total size: 48,240 sf.
Oakland Hall, University of Maryland College Park, MD	University of Maryland	Completed June 2011	230,000-sf residence hall with 709 beds, active and study lounges on all floors, a 3000-sf multipurpose room, and 10,000-sf of classroom space for UMD’s Math and Science Learning Program.
Sea Gull Square, Salisbury University Salisbury, MD	Rinner Development / Salisbury University	Completed August 2011	130,000-sf, 605-bed, mixed-use student housing complex with seminar rooms and a classroom. Site includes 23,000-sf of ground-floor retail space surrounding a "village green,” and 5,000-sf of community space. LEED-Silver Certification.
Terrapin Row College Park, MD	Toll Brothers Campus Living	Completed 2016	Mixed-use student housing community totaling 626,497-sf. Site includes: four 4- to 6-story residential buildings with 418 units and 1,515 beds; 11,909-sf of retail; and a 171,229-sf, 7-level parking structure with 507 spaces.
University of Maryland, Prince Frederick Hall College Park, MD	University of Maryland	Completed June 2014	186,000-sf, 464 bed residence hall and Satellite Central Utility Building (SCUB) on the University of Maryland College Park campus.
University of South Carolina, Campus Village Columbia, SC	EdR	In Progress	The 1.4 million square foot, three phase mixed-use Campus Village will provide 3,750 beds and amenities in 8 buildings. Upon completion, the project will include a 25,000 SF dining commons, classrooms, academic support spaces, a Starbucks café, a convenience store, a campus police station, and a 7-level, 950 space parking garage.
University View I College Park, MD	WG Group	Completed July 2005	660,000-sf, 16-story, 352-unit apartment building overlooking the University of Maryland campus.
University View II College Park, MD	Clark Enterprises	Completed May 2011	232,000-sf mixed-use student housing complex consisting of 154 units, 517 beds, 4,000-sf of amenity space, and 11,000-sf of retail space.
University View Village College Park, MD	Clark Enterprises	In Progress	460,000-sf, 9-story, 992-bed mixed-use student housing development with 18,960-sf of retail space.
Varsity at Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	Potomac Holdings	Completed August 2013	13-story, 178,380-sf edge-campus student housing with 173 student apartments totaling 418 beds and two levels of parking.
West Grace Student Housing and Laurel Parking, Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA	Virginia Commonwealth University	Completed 2012	Two-building development with student housing and a garage complex with first floor retail; the 122-unit housing component has 459 beds totaling 161,078-sf; the garage component has 212 spaces, totaling 98,675-sf.

Varsity at Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI

CLIENT
Potomac Holdings

STATUS
Completed August 2013

SERVICES
Architecture

PROJECT DETAILS

PROJECT SHEET

FOLIO

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Program

13-story, 178,380-sf edge-campus student housing with 173 student apartments totaling 418 beds and two levels of parking.

Description

Located one block from the University of Michigan campus and the bustling State Street college town environment, the Varsity at Ann Arbor residence is very convenient to UM’s academic core and variety of venues and activities.

Given the building’s urban context, great importance was placed on the pedestrian experience and the building’s details. The surrounding streetscape ranges from urban to suburban, and the design is sensitive to the scale, and character of the surrounding historic homes, churches and larger commercial structures. In addition to being aware of the surrounding buildings and scale, our project team was equally cognizant with the neighborhoods pedestrian circulation.

The Varsity’s Z-shaped footprint was conceived to form an entry plaza that orients southeast toward the University campus. An east-facing 2-story wall of glass looks out onto the entry plaza and reveals a dramatic double height lobby and fitness center.

Through setbacks and material changes, the buildings massing responds to both of the lower scale of the adjacent historic buildings, as well as taller scale of the neighborhood’s high-rise apartment buildings. The overall form and composition of the project is the combination of a pedestrian scaled 2-story limestone colored base and a city scaled copper/orange masonry tower. The simplicity of the tower’s masonry walls are juxtaposed by a grand 11-story textured grey metal wall that floats away from the masonry walls and folds over and above the rooftop sky lounge. The "folded metal plane" element, the projects defining architectural feature, adds a unique level of architectural sophistication that is not found within the Ann Arbor marketplace.

After extensive market research, the development team proposed a program of mostly studio, 1, and 2 bedrooms with a few 4-bedroom apartments. This decision of mostly smaller units with bed / bath parity, and a strong amenity package makes The Varsity the premier living experience in Ann Arbor.

The Varsity’s amenities include 24/7 fitness center, 24/7 computer lab and printing services, group study rooms, parking garage, free tanning beds, and Wi-Fi Internet Access. The rooftop sky lounge provides captivating views across the UM campus.