A new apartment complex on Florida Road has helped alleviate the problem of affordable housing for a select lucky few.
The 1304 Apartments on the corner of Florida Road and North College Drive – across from J.Bo’s Pizza and Rib Co. – recently opened its doors to tenants after breaking ground last fall.
The new complex has 20 apartments with capacity for 68 tenants spread out through four-bedroom units and single/studio rooms, with a price tag many college students and young professional can afford.
The average price of a rental is $675 a month.
Steve Eccher, developer and architect of the project, said the 1304 Apartments not only make living a little more affordable, it attracts a certain clientele.
The project initially set out to appeal to Fort Lewis College students, and it has, Eccher said. But since the apartment complex started taking applications, they’ve also seen a great amount of interest from young professionals.
“I thought Durango had a demand for this,” Eccher said. “This is unique.”
A key component to the project and its affordability is the four-bedroom apartment model. Each tenant has their own bedroom, but they share a small living room and kitchen space.
All facets of roommate conflicts were taken into consideration when designing the layout of the unit. Each tenant has their own bathroom in their room, bedroom walls do not adjoin, and everyone has ample cabinet space in the kitchen.
“With a shared space, it’s not only affordable, it’s a social incubator,” Eccher said.
All bedrooms have walk-in closets and each unit has a washer/dryer, and most bedrooms have exterior decks or balconies. The apartments are also adjacent to a Durango Transit bus stop.
To become a tenant, Eccher said there is a rigorous process, including a background and credit check, an application fee, a strict no-pet policy and a commitment to a year lease.
Then, for four-bedroom units, tenants complete a survey so property managers can make the best matches for roommates.
“We’re looking for a specific clientele,” he said.
Single-bedroom and studio apartments run a little higher in rent, Eccher said.
Since the apartment complex opened about two weeks ago, 18 individual leases have been signed, Eccher said, with more pending.
Cody Ross, a 20-year-old junior at Fort Lewis College, said he moved in two weeks ago.
“It’s really hard to find a place,” Ross said.
Ross pointed to the difficulty of renting a two- or three-bedroom house or apartment, which carries complications with finding roommates who can commit to a lease.
And any one-bedroom places Ross found cost upward of $1,000 a month.
“There’s no way I could afford that,” he said.
The 1304 Apartments are an alternative.
“It was really nice to find a place and see it’s just affordable as a single person,” Ross said. “I’m just renting a bedroom, not a whole unit, and I’m just responsible for myself that way.”
The 1304 Apartments are the first major rental development since Lumien Apartments opened in fall 2015 and the Confluence apartments opened at Three Springs last year.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
