City Station West, College Suites

QPK developed an 8-block urban master plan, in partnership with community leaders, to revitalize a blighted area adjacent to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) campus. Known as the Congress-Ferry Street Corridor Redevelopment Project, the master plan and subsequent projects follow “Complete Street” concepts for street frontage and interaction. City Station West was the first project to emerge out of that master plan. Using a fast-track design-build integrated process, the team succeeded in achieving critical occupancy for RPI within 9 months from concept approval.

Built as off-campus graduate housing exclusively for RPI, the 3- and 4-person apartments provide single-occupancy bedrooms, each with a private bath. Each suite includes internet and cable hook-up, a full kitchen, living room and laundry. Community amenities in the building serve the specific needs of the student population such as group study areas, a gaming room, a music practice room, bike storage, and 24-hour security monitoring.

The success of this gateway project became the impetus to proceed with two more student housing projects, tailored to RPI housing needs, as derived from the initial master plan.