Artist's rendering of The Leo, a new student housing project in Tempe, designed for the ASU community.
Tempe is advancing plans for ‘The Leo’, a 20-story student housing project featuring 786 dwelling units located near Arizona State University. Set to be reviewed on May 13, this initiative aims to enhance student accommodation options with flexible renting arrangements. Up Campus Properties intends to enrich the area with retail space while addressing the demand for quality living environments. Additionally, construction for The Leo and a similar project, Nova Tempe, is projected to commence by Q3 2025, promoting vibrant, student-friendly living spaces.
Tempe is moving forward with plans for a significant two-tower, 20-story student housing development named The Leo, which is proposed to be located directly across the street from Arizona State University (ASU). The Tempe Development Review Commission is scheduled to review the plans on May 13, which is an essential step in the city’s process for evaluating developmental projects. If the commission recommends approval, the project will then move on for the final decision by the Tempe City Council.
Developed by Up Campus Properties, a Chicago-based company known for its campus-focused housing initiatives, The Leo is designed to cater specifically to the student population. The project will include 786 dwelling units, featuring a mix of accommodation types: studios, one-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom apartments, and four-bedroom apartments. Instead of renting entire apartments, individual bedrooms within units will be rented out to provide more flexible living arrangements for students.
In addition to the residential units, The Leo will incorporate 14,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, aiming to enhance the livability and vibrancy of the area around ASU. This development is part of a broader trend in Tempe towards creating more student-oriented housing solutions.
Up Campus Properties is also advancing another similar project named Nova Tempe, which is projected to include 950 units and a remarkable 2,391 bedrooms. Nova Tempe’s location has been identified at Rural Road between Apache Boulevard and University Drive in Tempe, where the site is currently home to a gas station, retail outlets, and restaurants.
The Nova Tempe project will offer over 14,000 square feet dedicated to restaurant space, along with a range of planned amenities designed to enhance the living experience for students. Proposed facilities for Nova Tempe include:
If both the Leo and Nova Tempe projects receive the required approvals, construction is expected to commence in Q3 2025. The residential towers of these projects are anticipated to take between 28 to 30 months to complete, while the construction of the garage is projected to be finished in 10 to 12 months.
Design responsibilities for these developments have been awarded to Dwell Design Studio. Up Campus Properties, which boasts over 30 years of experience in developing housing projects that focus on campus communities, emphasizes adherence to a “Pride of Ownership” principle throughout their development and management processes. This commitment prioritizes a high quality of living combined with enhancements to the local community’s vitality.
The proposed student housing developments in Tempe signal a sustained effort to meet the growing demand for quality accommodation options near Arizona State University. As both The Leo and Nova Tempe projects advance through the review process, they highlight a broader strategy to create a vibrant, student-friendly environment that supports educational pursuits and enhances community interaction.
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