More student housing is coming to WSU Tri-Cities

By Sara Schilling sara@tcjournal.biz

The second phase of a popular apartment complex on the Washington State University Tri-Cities campus in Richland is expected to open in about 14 months.

The Brelsford Vineyards already has 82 units, and the second phase is adding another 72 units — a mix of one-, twoand three-bedroom configurations.

The roughly 35,000-square-foot building will be in an “L” shape, similar to the existing building that totals about 34,000 square feet and opened in 2018.

The two buildings will be next to each other. While Washington State University owns the land the apartment complex sits on, it doesn’t own or manage the apartments.

The total cost of phase two is about $15 million, said developer Duane Brelsford, president and managing member of the Pullman-based Corporate Pointe Developers. He told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business in late June that construction was expected to start in a couple of weeks.

Chervenell Construction is the contractor and Design West Architects handled design.

The apartments were designed for WSU Tri-Cities students, staff and young professionals in the nearby Tri-Cities Research District. Amenities include broadband internet and cable TV at no charge to residents, plus air conditioning and washers and dryers. The complex also has a heated pool, sport court, fitness center, study lounge and more.

It’s near the Riverfront Trail along the Columbia River.

The apartments “are very comfortable,” Brelsford said, noting that rental applications for the new building should open in about six months. Like with the existing building, tenants will be able to rent full units or by the room. The existing building has a waiting list.

The Tri-Cities area has seen more apartment units added to the market in the last year, which has likely contributed to the 1.1% increase in the local apartment vacancy rate.

As of the first quarter of 2023, the total number of apartment units in Benton and Franklin counties was 12,724, according to a report from the Washington Center for Real Estate at the University of Washington. That is an increase from to 11,051 units in the Tri-Cities in spring 2022.

The apartment vacancy rate for the first quarter of 2023 was 4.7%.

Statewide, the average for that same time was about 5.5%, although that’s skewed by the Puget Sound, which has a vacancy rate of 5.9% while the rest of the state averages to 4.3%.

The average apartment rent in Benton and Franklin counties was $1,320 a month.

Brelsford said he’s excited to be adding to the apartment complex at WSU Tri-Cities.

“We’re very happy at the success and growth of not only WSU but also the research district. We’re proud to be a part of that – to be able to supply housing,” he said.