Contractors test the deck jets installed alongside the swimming pool Aug. 26 at Tobin Lofts. The pool opened Labor Day weekend and residents began moving in Aug. 23. Daniel Arguelles
Contractors finish the exterior walls and pool area of Tobin Lofts at West Evergreen and North Main Aug. 26. Daniel Arguelles
Clarification: The company involved in the public-private partnership that built Tobin Lofts is now The NRP Group LLC.
By Carlos Ferrand
cferrand@student.alamo.edu
Tobin Lofts, this college’s first on-campus housing, opened its doors to the first student residents Aug. 23-25.
In the first scheduled move-in, 164 students took to the halls to find their new pads.
Of those students, 72 were from this college.
Of the 467 beds available, about 248 have been leased.
Kinesiology sophomore Daniel Coronado, who moved in Aug. 24, said the move-in was easy and stress-free.
Neither the construction or street parking affected his move.
Coronado was a little disappointed that the pool and workout room were not open during his first week in the lofts, but he was pleased with his new home.
“It’s real cool and everything is real nice,” he said.
The pool and the workout room opened Friday for Labor Day weekend.
The second move-in occurred Thursday-Sunday, and more than 80 students moved in.
Laura Lopez, public relations and marketing director for Aguillon and Associates, said that during her walkthrough on Aug. 30, she saw students playing in the pool and some apartments already had welcome mats out.
The pool is in the center of the apartment complex and resembles a resort pool.
Surrounded by palm trees, the deepest part of the pool is 3-feet-6.
Other amenities include a game room with foosball, media room with computers and quiet study rooms.
Aguillon and Associates manages local public relations and marketing for Tobin Lofts. Campus Advantage manages the property and specializes in student housing.
According to campusadv.com, more than 100,000 residents have lived in a Campus Advantage managed property.
As part of the leasing agreement, students must follow the code of conduct outlined in the lease signed with Tobin Lofts.
This college will work with Tobin Lofts to address any major problems with SAC students, Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student and academic success, said. “The college will play a role in ensuring student safety.”
Most incidents that breach Tobin Lofts code of conduct will be handled by Tobin Lofts, but in the case of major incidents, the college would get involved.
“We are in agreement that when those things do come up, they will contact us and we will work together to determine the best course of outcome,” Vela said. “It would have to be something real bad, or if there was a pattern where the students’ safety was in jeopardy, for us to intervene.
“We have an obligation to make sure our colleges are safe,” he said.
Vela said the college will handle any incidents case by case, but the college is not looking to evict students or police what students do in private.
“It is hard to say what if because until we are in a specific situation that would require us to collaborate. It is difficult to say what that may be,” Vela said.
“All we are trying to do is intervene and stop the behavior so that the student can be successful,” he continued. “The last thing we want is to have students evicted.”
Students must be actively enrolled in a college or university to maintain residency in Tobin Lofts.
Leases last 12 months and are for students and faculty members only.
Tobin Lofts requires proof of registration at the beginning of each semester.
Some floor plans in Tobin Lofts have already sold out. The efficiency, one bedroom San Pedro, two bedroom Howard and four bedroom Dewey are all taken. The two bedroom Ashby, four bedroom Lewis and four bedroom Evergreen are the only three floor plans that remain.
Rooms were named after the streets that surround this college.
The first two levels in the parking garage east of Chance Academic Center are reserved for Tobin Lofts’ residents, and cost $200 per year.
As reported in The Ranger on April 5, residents of Tobin Lofts will have reserved parking in the current parking garage until the completion of a second garage at West Park and North Main in March.
Tobin Lofts is a public/private partnership between this college and NPR Group/Balfour Beatty Capital.
