Radius Hall will no longer be student housing as University of Minnesota officials announced they ended their lease with the company overseeing the apartments.
Some students who lived at Radius are frustrated by the lack of communication as Radius will be considered off-campus housing starting fall 2025.
Interim Director of University Housing and Residential Life Susan Stubblefield said the University started its lease with Radius in August 2017 during the construction of Pioneer Hall. She said the housing department noticed vacancies in the Radius, leading to the decision to end the lease after construction in Pioneer Hall finished.
Stubblefield said in an email that the University leasing out properties around the area is a common tactic to help deal with large student enrollment.
“Since that time, Pioneer’s renovation has been completed and we’ve seen several years with significant vacancies at Radius leading to the decision that the University no longer has a need for these additional beds,” Stubblefield said in an email statement.
The property management company overseeing the Radius apartments, B.HOM Student Living, plans to renovate the building by adding a new study room, new gym equipment and a redesigned lounge area.
Andrew Stark, asset manager of Radius and executive vice president of B.HOM, said while the University ended the lease, they still share a good relationship.
“We’re continuing. We had a great relationship and continue to have a great relationship with the University of Minnesota,” Stark said. “We have a great relationship with a lot of the student-athletes who live at the property as well.”
University’s late notification leaves students frustrated
Students living in Radius were notified about the change in ownership in October. For some students, the lease ending is leading to more problems and stress.
Third-year University student Rachel Secrist, who has lived at Radius for about a year, said the change in ownership worried her because of her spinal cord injury that has made walking long distances difficult.
Secrist, who relies on Paratransit to take her to school, said she had to call to make sure Paratransit would still pick her up for the rest of the school year.
“I chose to live at Radius because I have a disability, and Radius allows Paratransit to come to the front door because I wanted the apartment style and the accessibility,” Secrist said.
“So having it switched over was like a big concern for me because I still wanted to have access to that driver system.”
With University students needing to secure housing well in advance, second-year University student Regan Guirguis said this change has complicated an already difficult process.
“It’s definitely causing problems now. I’m studying abroad next year. And so, my friends and I all want to still live together, but a couple of us are studying abroad.” Guriguis said. “We are kind of just in this crappy situation where we don’t know whether or not we’re going to sign a lease somewhere else at a cheaper apartment building or wait until February to possibly get a shot at Keeler.”
Guriguis and Secrist agreed that the University did not give enough warning to students.
“I think that their communication has been lackluster,” Guriguis said. “And I think with that communication, they really ought to give upperclassmen a better lottery ticket number.”
Former Radius resident Rebecca Ranning, a second-year University student, said Radius has a unique feel compared to other student housing options.
While she plans to return to Radius next year, she said the University should have been more transparent about the future of Radius.
“Personally, I was very stressed that I wouldn’t get the place that I wanted due to the influx of people that are going to be moving into a spot,” Ranning said. “So if I knew about more options just in case that didn’t work out, I think I would have been less stressed.”
According to a University spokesperson, anyone with questions about Radius should contact the University housing team.
