Later this year, Full Sail University is to start construction on its first student housing complex in Winter Park, which will be located across the street from the university.
According to Ian McCook, president of Nvision Development, a company based in Maitland, the developer has applied for the necessary building permissions and plans to begin construction this autumn. The first design is for 580 beds, but two more stages that have already been approved could eventually raise the total to over 2,000.
A private, for-profit institution with a focus on the media and entertainment sectors is Full Sail. It claims to have over 20,000 students, however that number includes those enrolled in online programs.
In addition to a nearly 15,000-square-foot clubhouse and some shop space, the proposed five-story building will feature a central courtyard with an outdoor pool and lounge area. There will be 182 dwelling units total, with 15 with one bedroom, 29 with two bedrooms, 45 with three bedrooms, and 93 with four bedrooms.
In May, the first phase development plan was approved by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.
The 13.14-acre site at 3209 University Blvd. is owned by Full Sail University, but McCook stated that Nvision Development will oversee the management of the student housing complex after it is finished.
On the PD-zoned land, which has approvals for up to 2,400 beds, Nvision Development and Full Sail intend to construct two more future stages. Although the university is still developing ideas for further stages, an original proposal that was sent to the county more than a year ago suggested that phases two and three would include lounge areas, pet parks, and common courtyard areas with activity lawns.
While surface-level student parking will be available in the back of the property during the first phase, future phases will require structured parking to meet the allowed density.
The main campus and the student residences will be connected by a planned pedestrian bridge across University Boulevard.
This would not be the first student housing project that Nvision Development has worked on. Five minutes from Valencia College’s east campus, the developer previously constructed Vale East, a student housing complex with 176 units and 456 beds. In 2021, the housing complex opened.
Full Sail offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration, computer animation, design, and audio. At the moment, the school does not offer on-campus accommodation for students.
It has gained recognition for its esports, video game design, and sportscasting services, but it has recently run into some financial issues. The university said earlier this year that 120 professors and staff personnel, or around 5% of its total, had been let go.
The university’s main campus, which consists of four major buildings and some retail space, is situated on approximately 200 acres between Forsyth Road and S. Senoran Boulevard. The Full Sail University Orlando Health Fortress Esports Arena, an 11,200-square-foot esports venue that can accommodate up to 500 spectators, is one of the campus’s highlights.
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