Listen to Students When Re-Branding Properties

The new, refurbished fitness room at Marquette University’s The Marq.

CHICAGO—As reported last week in GlobeSt.com, at the National Apartment Association’s Student Housing Conference & Exposition, a big topic was how to successfully brand a new student housing development. But participants also tackled how to take over an underperforming property and re-brand it with a student population that had come to view it as tired and old.

Austin, TX-based Campus Advantage and its marketing partner Catalyst were faced with that challenge when in 2013, along with an institutional investor, the former acquired 2040 Lofts, a student residence at Marquette University in Milwaukee that had seen better days. Occupancy had fallen to about 80%, Madison Meier, director of business development and transitions with Campus Advantage, told conference participants. “Everyone knew it had struggled a bit.” The property had abundant clubhouse space, but its color scheme was gray and few students used it. Furthermore, although 2040 Lofts was just one-half mile from campus, it had very little street presence and “it did not grab the attention of people as they walked by.”