The new development going up near the Multimodal Center is Eclipse on Broad, a 32-unit apartment building that promises to be "Athens (sic) most exclusive student housing" that is "the most high-end on the marketplace." You know what your mortgage is? The rent there will be almost that much per bed.

Great. More luxury apartments, just what downtown Athens needs. Isn't there a recession going on, or did I just make that up? 

Here's a press release:

Chance Partners, LLC, one of the country’s leading and most active student housing development firms, announced today the construction of Eclipse, a 32-unit, 128-bed community in Athens, GA. The project - scheduled to deliver in July 2013 and located on East Broad Street, less than five blocks from the historic Arch on The University of Georgia campus – will be the first student housing community to deliver in Athens’ CBD in many years.

So, what about Georgia Traditions and 909 Broad (both built in the last five years) and Whistlebury (which is expanding) and The Standard (under construction at Thomas and Dougherty streets) and the apartments Fred Moorman is renovating over Five Guys?

Chance Partners believes now is the ideal time for such a development. “With an aging downtown inventory, Athens’ strong rental and occupancy rates and our competitive rents and preferred location, we feel now is the perfect time to introduce our urban-style student housing concept to the Athens market,” said Judd Bobilin, President and CEO of Chance Partners.

Eclipse will offer loft and townhome style living and will feature some of Athens’ best features and amenities, including: on-site parking, a residents-only clubroom with state-of-the-art technology, a lush park with water and fire features, and a fitness center. Units at Eclipse will be the most high-end in the marketplace. They will feature private bathrooms for every bedroom; gourmet kitchens featuring imported granite countertops, designer wood cabinetry and stainless steel appliances; full-size washers and dryers; expansive living areas; hardwood-style flooring; walk-in closets and ample storage space. Many units will also offer roll-up doors in the living area, exposed brick accent walls, surround sound and designer lighting. All units will come furnished with living and bedroom furniture and will include a 42” flat-screen television in the living room. Rents will start in the $600’s per bed, per month and include cable television, high- speed Internet, maintenance, trash and water.

When I was in college, we paid $400 a month for a two-bedroom house. Granted, it didn't come with flat screens, because they hadn't been invented yet, but we did sometimes have telephone service and dial-up Internet, as well as a VCR the previous tenant left behind and the finest window unit in all the land.

“We believe students want a new, high-quality and amenity-rich community within walking distance of campus and their social centers, and we deliver on that urban experience better than anyone,” added Bobilin.

This is nothing compared to Highland Square, a Chance Partners development a couple miles outside of the Oxford, MS square and Ole Miss that has three pools, a fake beach, a fake downtown, a gym, a dog park, a car wash, a dog wash, a concert stage, a movie theater, a coffee shop, shuttle buses and some sort of community center inexplicably spelled the Publik House.

For leasing information, visit www.EclipseOnBroad.com or call 706-521-0499.

Pucciano & English, a leading design-oriented architectural firm, is the architect. J.M. Wilkerson will manage General Contracting and Kimley-Horn & Assoc. is the project’s Civil Engineer. Asset Campus Housing, Inc. will act as property manager of the community.

About Chance Partners, LLC

Chance Partners is a fully integrated real estate firm specializing in the development of high- quality multifamily and student housing communities catering to those that seek the ultimate amenities; location, quality and value. Backed by a deep understanding of the markets, a commitment to excellence and an unmatched track record of success, Chance Partners is redefining the intown living experience, one building at a time. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Chance Partners has won numerous national awards for its developments and prides itself on developing communities that intertwine into their surroundings. Learn more at www.Chance-Partners.com.

Snark aside, it's better for traffic and the environment for kids to live within walking distance of downtown and campus than way out on the Eastside or Macon Highway. (That is, if they really do leave their SUVs at home and don't drive four blocks to class or the bar.) And maybe this is a good thing for the downtown economy because more people—and more affluent people—equals more money spent at our many beloved downtown businesses. Or maybe it means we'll be overrun with PF Chang's and Urban Outfitters. Who knows.