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Student housing to replace Stadium

Students can now lease apartments above former Stadium Bar & Grille for 2015 - 2016

By Callie Furnas, For The Miami Student

Though Stadium Bar & Grille is no longer in business, the real estate where the former college bar was housed will still benefit the student body.

A prospective project has been planned for brand new off campus student housing which will be available to students during the 2015-2016 school year. The Oxford RE/MAX Alpha Real Estate Company will be handling the project.

The new housing, which will be christened the Stadium 16 Apartments, will be located between E. High and E. Walnut streets, where the bar was formerly located. The business has been closed for over a year now.

Stadium Sports Bar & Grille was once a hot spot for many students to hang out. The new commercial space opening up below the Stadium 16 Apartments will serve as a replacement, sparking student interest.

According to Missy Friede, a RE/MAX Alpha Real Estate agent and partner in the Stadium 16 Apartments project, in addition to the rental units upstairs, there is a two-story commercial space being rented with a liquor license below the housing space. There is no current lease agreement in place, though a new bar in that space would make sense.

"I used to go to Stadium back when it was open," said senior Alison LaDouceur. "It was always a good time. I'm eager to see what will be taking its spot next year. News of a new bar in Oxford is always exciting to hear."

According to the Stadium 16 Apartments' webpage, "upon completion in Fall 2015, our student housing will combine comfort and privacy with easy access to campus and all the amenities of High Street."

There will be five units in total, consisting of two apartments and three townhouses. Both apartments accommodate for three people while the townhomes will vary. There will be two four-bedroom townhomes and one three-bedroom townhome.

"All spaces will be completely furnished, including washer and drier, with an Uptown location," Friede said. "They are all based off of contemporary floor plans."

RE/MAX Alpha Real Estate has partnered with local architect Scott Webb to design and build the rental spaces for this project, which began earlier this summer.

Scott Webb, Miami graduate of '85, has worked in Oxford since 1999 when he established his own firm. Webb wanted to come back to Oxford to work because he grew up here and had many close friends in the local development business where he was able to get his name out.

Some of Webb's most known projects in the Oxford area include the Dubois Bookstore building, Stewart Square, Fiesta Charra, Orange Leaf apartments and also the new apartment complex on S. Beech St. across from United Dairy Farmers.

Oxford zoning laws create obstacles that Webb is required to follow. There is a strict set of rules, which Webb referred to as a "formula," for how much you can do in each space.

"Everyone wants the highest and the best," said Webb. "They hire me to find ways they can do that within what the zoning laws will allow, whether it is the size of the lot or the amount of people allowed to live there."

Although Webb does a good amount of commercial architecture, mainly student housing, he has also worked on many residential projects around Oxford.

For the first year, all of the units in the Stadium 16 Apartments will be priced the same regardless of the number of people, bedrooms and bathrooms.

"My friends and I are excited to be living in a central location Uptown that is not too far from campus," said junior Montanna Card, who recently signed the three bedroom townhome space. "I'm super eager to see the final product next year when they are finished."

As of right now, all units have been signed for the 2015-2016 school year, but students are encouraged to look into signing the units for the following year.