West Center student apartment complex still on track for 2013 construction

A rendering of the upcoming West Center project shows what the development will look like from the northeast corner of Center Street and Duncan Avenue.

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A $25 million student apartment complex set to be built between the University of Arkansas and Fayetteville High School is still on track to soon begin construction.

The five-story, 471-bed West Center complex will sit on the south side of Center Street between Duncan and Harmon avenues, and will replace a small apartment complex, a triplex and three houses.

Demolition of the 2.75-acre site begins this week, officials said Tuesday.

Local developers Specialized Real Estate have teamed with Capstone Development Partners of Birmingham, Ala. and Indiana-based contractor Thompson Thrift Construction for the project.

Design for the complex comes from Fayetteville’s own Modus Studio, who has worked closely with Specialized on several projects, including the nearby LEED Platinum-certfied Eco Modern Flats and the Sterling Frisco complex under construction at Maple Street and West Avenue.

Similar to Sterling Frisco, the West Center complex will be wrapped around an embedded parking deck, and will include a swimming pool and clubhouse along with a rooftop sun terrace with views of the city and university campus.

Aside from the building itself, plans call for replacement of the single-head traffic light with a standard four-way signal at Center and Duncan, and the addition of a center turn lane on Center west of Duncan. Also planned for the area are new sidewalks and lighted crosswalks.

José Kreutz, senior vice president for Thompson Thrift Construction, said the project will strive to achieve LEED Gold accreditation, and should be completed in time for the university’s 2014 fall semester.