Housing Trust Group (HTG), a leading multifamily developer, is proud to announce the grand opening of University Station, a transformative $100 million mixed-use community in downtown Hollywood, Florida. Developed in a transformative public-private partnership (P3) with the City of Hollywood, University Station is HTG’s largest development to date and introduces 216 units of affordable and workforce housing, a 635-space public-private parking garage, over 2,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, and a new 12,210-square-foot campus for Barry University’s College of Nursing and Health Services.
Apartments at University Station include 108 one-bedroom and 108 two-bedroom units, ranging in size from 621 to 899 square feet. One hundred percent of the units are income-restricted for residents earning between 22, 30, 40, 60, 70, and 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), with rents ranging from $332 to $1,942. Rents at University Station are priced well below the average rental prices in Hollywood, currently at $2,127.
To celebrate this significant milestone, Housing Trust Group (HTG) hosted a grand opening ceremony on May 8th, joined by key partners and dignitaries who were instrumental in bringing the project to fruition. Attendees included representatives from Broward County, the City of Hollywood, Barry University, and various project collaborators. Featured speakers included Matthew Rieger, President and CEO of HTG; Broward County Mayor Beam Furr; Ralph Stone, Executive Director of Housing Finance & Community Redevelopment, City of Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy; Raelin Storey, Assistant City Manager for the City of Hollywood; Sandra Veszi Einhorn, Chair, Board of Directors for the Florida Housing Finance Corporation; and Marisa Button, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives for FHFC.
“This development is a shining example of how the public and private sectors can come together to deliver innovative, inclusive communities that respond directly to South Florida’s housing and infrastructure needs,” said Matthew Rieger, President and CEO of HTG. “University Station brings more than just housing—it brings economic opportunity, education, transit access, and long-term sustainability to downtown Hollywood. We are incredibly proud of this project and grateful for the City of Hollywood’s unwavering partnership.”
Located at 421 N 21st Ave, 309 N 21st Ave., and 2031 Polk St., University Station includes two residential towers and a standalone parking garage, with 635 spaces designated to support the future Broward Commuter Rail (BCR) South Station. The community is built on 2.5 acres of city-owned land and was made possible through Florida’s Public-Private Partnership (P3) statute 255.065, following an unsolicited proposal from HTG that resulted in the development of this project.
The community offers modern amenities including a state-of-the-art fitness center, multipurpose room with catering kitchen and bar, resort-style swimming pool, a game room, and elevated pedestrian bridges connecting the residential buildings to the parking garage. Designed to meet the National Green Building Standard, University Station integrates energy-efficient appliances, LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and other sustainable features.
Barry University’s College of Nursing and Health Services is also located at University Station, offering local students access to top-tier academic facilities in a thriving, transit-connected urban core.
Funding for the project included $40 million in 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity syndicated through Raymond James. Additional sources included almost $13 million in State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL), Construction Housing Inflation Response Program (CHIRP), National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), Extremely Low Income (ELI) loans, and an additional $50 million in State of Florida Bonds; Bank of America purchased the tax credits and bonds for the construction loan. A $18 million permanent loan from Berkadia; a $6 million Broward Gap Loan, $100,000 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funding, a $2.4 million City Loan, and $8.4 million in parking funds.
The project team included general contractor ANF Group Inc., Corwil Architects, HSQ Group (civil engineer), B. Pila Design Studio (interior design), Witkin Hults + Partners (landscape architect), BNI Engineers (structural engineer), RPJ Inc. (MEP engineer), and Kaller Architecture (Barry University interiors).
“ANF is honored to have partnered with Housing Trust Group on the delivery of University Station — a project that exemplifies what’s possible when innovation, collaboration, and community impact come together,” said Al Fernandez, CEO of ANF and the construction manager for the project. “From affordable housing to educational opportunity, University Station brings lasting value to the City of Hollywood, and we’re proud to have played a role in bringing this transformative vision to life.”
Housing Trust Group (HTG) is an award-winning full-service developer of multifamily residential communities whose real estate transactions exceed $4 billion in commercial, land and residential developments across Florida, Texas, Illinois and Arizona. HTG develops, builds and manages a diverse portfolio of affordable housing, workforce housing, market-rate housing, and mixed-use developments.
