This planned student housing project near UNG's Gainesville campus is no more

Jeff Gill, The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
·2 min read

Aug. 31—Plans for a 560-bedroom student housing complex near the University of North Georgia's Gainesville campus have fallen through.

DeKalb County-based Mallory & Evans "was unable to construct a viable economic model to meet the university's ambitions ... and elected to forego further engagement," said the firm's lawyer, Jonathan Beard, in an email.

Mallory & Evans "continues to stand ready to assist UNG at all times with any initiative that is fruitful to both parties," he added.

In a statement about the project, UNG said it "continues to explore opportunities with private developers to create student housing" on the property.

The campus "has experienced significant growth in academic programs over the past several years and continues to attract students from across the region and state," UNG said.

At one point, Mallory & Evans was looking to build the housing on 21 acres at 3055 Tumbling Creek Road, which runs from Old Oakwood Road to Atlanta Highway/Ga. 13.

The Hall County Board of Commissioners gave its OK to the project in January 2021.

The project had drawn some concerns from officials with nearby industries. They said they were worried about traffic impacts, especially at the already busy intersection of Tumbling Creek Road at Ga. 13.

The project came about in March 2020 when the UNG Real Estate Foundation announced an agreement to sell the land to Mallory & Evans Development LLC.

"We look forward to continuing our relationship with UNG students to foster a safe, comfortable, conveniently located and educationally enhancing housing option," Johnny Dixon, vice chairman of Mallory & Evans, said at the time.

The company had developed The Bellamy, a housing complex that serves UNG students in Dahlonega.

Another planned student housing project near the UNG has decided recently to downsize.

Developer bSide Partners of Johns Creek is proposing to reduce the number of bedrooms at a development off Ga. 13 and Frontage Road from 486 to 341 and the overall size from 269,468 square feet to 246,794. Also, the bedrooms would be spread out among 229 units instead of 152, making the units less crowded.

The developer said the numbers were changing because of falling enrollment at the college and lingering COVID-19 concerns.

The revised project was recommended for approval Aug. 15 by the Oakwood Planning Commission. The project will now go before the Oakwood City Council for final consideration.