CHICAGO—Student housing has become a big business in the US, mostly because both students and their families have created demand for amenity-rich communities located near top universities. And now CA Ventures, a Chicago-based developer, says it's ready to launch a $500 million effort that will bring similar housing to students throughout much of Europe.
“This is a really ripe opportunity for an American developer to introduce a product type that is lacking in many European markets,” JJ Smith, president of CA Student Living, tells GlobeSt.com. Several US investors are already active in Europe, but his firm has bigger plans. “They're really just writing checks, for lack of a better description. We plan to be more hands-on.”
The company has expertise in the entire life cycle of student housing communities. It will partner with local European firms and handle land acquisition, development, construction management, and leasing. Such partnerships are “how we built our business. Essentially, we are going to replicate what we did in the US.”
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Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
