Capstone Development Partners and Seattle University’s Vi Hilbert Hall Named Best Public-Private Partnership Development

Birmingham, AL – Capstone Development Partners (“Capstone”) announced that Vi Hilbert Hall at Seattle University, was awarded the Best Public-Private Partnership Development at the Student Housing Business Tenth Annual Innovator Awards event held October 19^th during the NMHC / Interface Student Housing virtual conference. The project was selected among 120 student housing developments submitted for a total of 22 award categories. The project was judged on multiple criteria including: how it solved a unique need for the university; served as a win-win-win for the school, its residents in the project and the developer; building architecture; design into the campus fabric; and the project’s performance relative to budget and schedule.

Vi Hilbert Hall houses 300 upper-division undergraduate and graduate students and encompasses over 143,000 SF including 4,290 SF of amenity space and over 16,000 SF dedicated to SU administration offices for Departments of Student Financial Services, Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions and the Registrar. The design team worked within SU’s Major Institutional Master Plan to establish the building as a gateway into the north portion of campus to bring a sense of vitality, energy, and safety to this area of campus, previously viewed as a ‘back door’. The building serves as the starting point for all campus tours by prospective students and their families.

Vi Hilbert Hall, was developed by Capstone in collaboration with Seattle University in a public-private partnership.

“We are honored to receive this award on behalf of our partnership with Seattle University. Vi Hilbert Hall [the project] is a testament to what can be accomplished when university and private partners come together and focus on achieving common goals aimed at benefiting students and improving the campus experience.  Seattle University has been an exemplary partner during both preconstruction and in the challenging times since, and we are delighted that we can bring the partnership this coveted award.”, said Bruce McKee, Principal Capstone Development Partners.

The Project was designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects; constructed by Howard S Wright Construction; and the project is managed by Blanton Turner. The Project was financed with 100% private equity under Capstone’s private equity financing program P3+ and in partnership with the company’s capital partner, Harrison Street Capital. Vi Hilbert Hall is owned by Capstone – Harrison Street.

This is Capstone’s third time receiving the award for Best Public Private Partnership, having previously received the award in 2019 for the New Residence Hall at University of Massachusetts Boston and in 2016 for Cornish Commons at Cornish College of the Arts.

About Capstone Development Partners

Capstone Development Partners, LLC is a leading student housing developer in the on-campus and university-affiliated student housing market. The company holds offices in Birmingham, Alabama and Denver, Colorado. Its principals, Jeff Jones and Bruce McKee, have more than 40 years combined experience as leaders in the higher education student housing sector specializing in the development and management of on-campus student housing through Public-Private Partnerships. Since 1997, the principals of Capstone have partnered with over 60 public and private colleges and universities and delivered more than 44,000 beds of student housing nationwide.