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14 August 2017

Texas Woman's University (TWU) has selected Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, a leading developer and operator of infrastructure projects for the college and university market, to develop a new student housing community for the university as part of a public-private partnership. Opening in autumn 2019, the village will house 875 students and contain classroom, fitness, exploratory learning and recreation space. Texas-based Hill & Wilkinson will lead the project's design/build team, in collaboration with project architect Stantec.

Located on TWU's campus in Denton, Texas, the Residential Village Project will include three 4- and 5-storey Georgian buildings featuring pod-style living quarters with small-scale communal baths with private bathroom and shower stalls. The project will incorporate residential amenities such as lounge spaces, study areas and community gathering places focused on the student experience.

TWU's first major housing development since the opening of the Lowry Woods Community in 2005, the Residential Village Project will be located east of Bell Avenue with the dining facility located directly north of TWU's athletic facility, Pioneer Hall, and the housing facilities located on the site of the existing football field. The football field will be relocated as part of the project.

On 15 November 2016, TWU publicly issued a request for proposals. TWU and its development advisor, Brailsford & Dunlavey, structured the request for proposals to identify private developers with the best qualifications, experience, financial capacity and proven track records of executing similar projects. TWU received eight proposals from nationally-recognised firms and earlier this year the Balfour Beatty team submitted a final proposal and was subsequently selected as the preferred development partner.

Structured as a public-private partnership, Collegiate Housing Foundation, a national non-profit entity, will serve as the residential facility owner through the issuance of project-based, tax exempt debt financing. Project negotiations and planning will continue with Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions in the coming months as the project concept is advanced and finalised. TWU expects to recommend the final project scope to the TWU Board of Regents in November and construction is anticipated to commence in February of 2018 in preparation for August 2019 occupancy.

Monica Mendez-Grant, TWU vice president for student life, said: 'In recent years, TWU has used hotels and leased apartments off campus to accommodate our students. This new Residential Village Project will bring those students back to campus and create an environment for our students that does not exist today.'

Bob Shepko, President of Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, said: 'We're excited to work with Texas Woman's University in implementing their vision to create a dedicated second-year residential community that keeps students on campus. Our experience has shown that a vibrant on-campus living experience directly enhances both the social and academic success of students and this new development will factor significantly in delivering that experience at TWU.'

Carine M. Feyten, TWU Chancellor, said: 'Our students have been vocal about their desire to live on campus in a community focused environment. This new student housing accommodates their wishes, while also adhering to our campus esthetic and style, and providing plenty of green space for our students.'

B.J. Crain, interim vice president for finance and administration, said: 'We were impressed with the level of interest from the development community and the quality of proposals and teams that we interviewed during the process. The Balfour Beatty team provided a strong proposal and continued to impress the selection committee throughout the course of the process. We look forward to partnering with them to make this exciting project a reality for the TWU community.'

ENDS

Media enquiries to:
Maureen Omrod
610.355.8136
momrod@bbcgrp.com

Notes to editors:
Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions
Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, LLC provides development, asset/property management, and other real estate services to higher education with a focus on public-private partnerships that underpin the strategic vision of an institution. The company offers public-private partnership (P3) solutions for funding and delivery of capital plans, including residential, academic, administrative and faculty offices, research, athletic/recreation, student centres, dining, parking and infrastructure.

Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions is part of Balfour Beatty Investments a global company focused on financing and operating the vital assets that enable societies and economies to grow: roads and railways, health and education facilities, power and water systems, places to live and places to work - the infrastructure that underpins progress. Balfour Beatty Investments is a division of Balfour Beatty plc, a UK-based international infrastructure group operating in construction services, support services and infrastructure investments.

Texas Woman's University
Texas Woman's University is the nation's largest public university primarily for women with almost 16,000 students at its three locations in Denton, Dallas and Houston. Texas Woman's is known for its contributions and leadership in the fields of education, nutrition, business, the arts and sciences, and especially in the nursing and health care professions. The university offers the student support, class sizes and campus esthetics more typically found at a private university. Male students have been admitted to the university's graduate programs since 1972 and undergraduate programs since 1994. TWU prides itself on providing students with a well-rounded educational experience focused on service, health and well-being and integrity. Respect for diversity in all dimensions (U.S. News & World Report ranks the university in the top 10 in the nation for diversity) and a safe campus environment (Texas Woman's is among the safest campuses in the nation) are among the hallmarks of a TWU education.

Balfour Beatty plc published this content on 14 August 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 14 August 2017 10:41:08 UTC.

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