Aztec Corner, a student apartment complex that was previously independent from San Diego State, will be leased by the university to house more than 600 sophomores starting fall 2019.
The new master lease, which gives the university the right to control the building for three years and control students’ leases on the property, is a solution to the growing need of places for SDSU students to live on campus. This year’s freshman class is the first that will be required to live on campus through their sophomore year if they are considered non-local as part of the Sophomore Success Initiative. The university defines students as local if they live south of the state Route 56 in San Diego County.
“We are looking at Aztec Corner to expand what we currently already have as far as our apartments,” Director of Housing Administration Cynthia Cervantes said. “Aztec Corner gives us an additional 606 beds so it helps us with accommodating our sophomores.”
Aztec Corner was previously master leased by SDSU in the fall of 2007 and, with the success of the first master lease, SDSU was approached again for a three-year master lease that will begin in fall 2019. The agreement will continue until fall 2022 and SDSU will manage all leases and license agreements for the residents.
Located on the corner of Montezuma Road and 55th Street, students who want to live at Aztec Corner will be allowed to choose from a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment or a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment, according to the SDSU Housing website. Aztec Corner will only offer shared rooms, and unlike any other housing option on campus, the complex will have full-size beds.
While Aztec Corner will be in the middle of the on-campus housing price range, it will be significantly more expensive per month than when the complex was independently owned. Under SDSU Housing, a bed in Aztec Corner will cost $1,139 per month while this year’s current residents are paying $824 per month for a bed in a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment and $784 for one in a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment.
However, SDSU will offer a number of amenities that are not enjoyed by Aztec Corner’s current residents. For instance, utility bills are included in SDSU’s rent aside from any electric charges that exceed $35 per person in the apartment, whereas current residents at Aztec Corner pay their full electricity bills. Moderate upgrades to the countertops and cabinets will also be made ahead of the fall 2019 move in and students will be given an Aztec Recreation Center membership, access to Philo TV, S.T.A.R Center services and other campus-wide amenities.
As is the same with Aztec Corner’s current residents, the apartment will come fully furnished and include a TV in all rooms.
Aztec Corner residents will have to sign an 11.5-month license agreement at a cost of $13,094 per year. For students who wish to add a meal plan, the cost is an additional $1,600 for the Walkabout meal plan, which features a $880 food balance per semester, and $2,000 for the Power Hike meal plan, featuring a $1,125 food balance per semester according to the SDSU Housing website.
Aztec Corner will become one of three campus housing complexes that offers an 11.5-month lease, including Granada and Montage on College. Students who are only looking to live on campus only while classes are in session may opt for a nine-month lease at complexes such as Villa Alvarado or South Campus Plaza.
Biology freshman Abigail Simpson said she is excited to see the university presenting new options for housing.
“I think Aztec Corner is in a pretty good location and I’d rather live in an apartment than a dorm for second-year housing,” Simpson said.
Political science sophomore Sierra Nagle, who currently lives at Aztec Corner, said she would recommend other campus housing options, specifically Granada, which also offers 11.5-month license agreements and is cheaper by $360 a year for a shared room.
“I’ve only been to Granada as an on-campus living apartment and I can say that one is so much nicer than Aztec Corner,” Nagle said.
Students wanting to live at Aztec Corner or any of the other campus housing options will be able to select their desired location based on an assigned lottery date and time in early March.
