The North Carolina firm that broke ground on a 216-unit apartment complex in Bellingham in October will not finish.
After applying for permits for a 10-building project with an estimated value of more than $30 million, Campus Crest Construction announced in a press release on Nov. 4 that it will be “discontinuing all construction and development.” The company’s Bellingham project, called “the Grove,” was south of Lakeway Fred Meyer and west of Lincoln Creek, next to Interstate 5.
In a Nov. 20 press release, Campus Crest Construction announced its intent to sell it’s Bellingham property, a 15-acre site.
Kathy Bell, City of Bellingham planner, said the city had not received any formal correspondence from Campus Crest Construction. The company will be responsible for stabilizing the site, but she said the site is not particularly prone to erosion.
Campus Crest is selling nine undeveloped sites all over the country. The company is going through a “strategic repositioning,” according to the press release, that includes simplifying its business model and laying off 45 people. The company’s CEO, Ted Rollins, resigned and was replaced by Richard Kahlbaugh as interim CEO. Donnie Bobbitt, Chief Financial Officer, also resigned.
Campus Crest Construction, doing business as The Grove, operates apartment complexes geared toward college students throughout the country, including in Pullman, Ellensburg, and Cheney, Washington.
The Grove’s slogan is “fully loaded college living,” and all Grove complexes have 24-hour fitness centers, tanning beds, and a variety of other amenities.
There are multiple projects going on south of Fred Meyer. The Campus Crest property is at the northeastern edge of the area between Lincoln Street and Interstate 5.
