PHILADELPHIA, PA — GMH Communities and AEW Capital Management are betting big on the staying power of elite college towns, announcing the joint acquisition of two Class-A student housing communities near Clemson University and Louisiana State University in a move that materially expands their presence in major Power 4 markets.
The partnership has acquired Dockside at Clemson University in South Carolina and Flatiron at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, adding a combined 926 beds to its portfolio. With the transactions completed, the AEW-GMH joint venture now owns and operates more than 2,000 student housing beds across four universities tied to Power 4 athletic conferences, a segment widely viewed as one of the most resilient corners of the multifamily market.
GMH Chief Executive Officer and President Gary Holloway Jr. said the acquisitions align with the company’s long-standing strategy of targeting high-quality assets in markets supported by large, growing universities. He pointed to GMH’s more than four decades in the student housing sector as a competitive advantage in identifying properties that match evolving student preferences for location, amenities, and community design.
AEW Capital Management Managing Director and Portfolio Manager Adam Schwank said the two properties reflect the core attributes the firm prioritizes in student housing investments, including modern construction, expansive common areas, and immediate proximity to flagship campuses with durable enrollment trends.
The Clemson acquisition includes the 633-bed Dockside community, which will be rebranded as The Cove at Clemson. The property features a lakefront setting with direct access to Lake Hartwell, a differentiator in a market where lifestyle amenities increasingly influence leasing decisions. In Baton Rouge, the 293-bed Flatiron community stands out as one of the area’s few pedestrian-oriented student housing options, offering walkable access to the LSU campus in a market dominated by car-dependent properties.
Industry observers continue to track off-campus, purpose-built student housing closely as universities such as Clemson and LSU report sustained enrollment growth. That dynamic has fueled steady demand for professionally managed housing options that sit outside traditional on-campus supply but still deliver convenience and amenities comparable to institutional multifamily developments.
Financing for the acquisitions was arranged by JLL, with the firm’s student housing team led by Senior Director Mike Brady, Managing Director Jake Wisness, and associates Bill Maloney and Jake Davidson.
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