Not every transformation starts from the ground up. Sometimes, the opportunity is already there. You just have to see it.
The Heights near Texas A&M had already demonstrated strong performance in recent years. But strong performance did not mean the opportunity had been fully realized.
When LV Collective acquired the property, we saw a community with good bones, proven demand and room to create even more value. Our goal was not simply to make it look newer. It was to build on what was already working, rethink how residents experienced the property and put more energy into every square foot.
Within the following school year, the renovations were complete, delivered on time and under budget. Through targeted design interventions, smarter use of space and a more intentional resident experience, The Heights entered its next chapter.
Use the sliders below to see the transformation.
The pool was already one of the property’s biggest amenities. We saw an opportunity to make the space around it work harder.
We reworked the pool deck with new loungers, umbrellas, dining areas and seating groups designed to give residents more ways to use the space. We also relocated the jumbotron into a direct sightline from the water, creating a better setting for Aggie game days and other shared experiences.
The redesign turned the pool deck into a more complete social space, one designed around how residents actually gather.
The lobby was a place residents came through for a leasing tour or to get where they were going. It was not a place they had much reason to come back to.
We wanted to change that.
Opening the wall between the lobby and mezzanine brought natural light deeper into the space and created a visual connection between both levels. What had been separate, underused areas became one activated environment.
A new natural stone reception desk anchors the lobby, while lime wash, walnut detailing, greenery and layered seating bring warmth and texture. Banquettes, library tables and lounge seating give residents different ways to use the space, whether they are studying, meeting up or simply spending time between classes. A coffee tap adds another everyday reason to come down and stay.
Upstairs, the newly opened mezzanine carries that energy to the second level, with workspaces and lounge seating overlooking the lobby below.
More connection. More reasons to stay. More energy per square foot.
Opening the wall between the lobby and the mezzanine gave both floors more energy per square foot, letting activation carry from one space into the next. Banquette seating supports open work and collaboration, while lounge seating along the railing invites people to sit back and take in the room below. Lime wash pairs with walnut detailing, and a lattice motif ties the space together.
The original study offered plenty of space, but not enough variety.
One large open room did not reflect how students actually study. Sometimes they need to spread out with a group. Sometimes they need to take a call. Sometimes they need a door they can close and a quiet place to focus.
We redesigned the space around those different needs, carving out conference rooms and individual study rooms while maintaining access to natural light. Open tables still support collaboration, but residents now have a range of environments to choose from depending on how they need to work.
The goal was not simply more study space. It was better study space.
The same thinking extended to wellness.
Rather than treating fitness as a single room with equipment, we expanded the ways residents can move, recover and recharge throughout the property.
The renovated fitness center was joined by a dedicated yoga room and new outdoor saunas, creating a more layered wellness experience and giving residents more options to build wellness into their day.
Material choices, lighting, furniture and finishes throughout the property reinforce that same idea. Each decision was made with the full resident experience in mind.
Repositioning an existing asset is not about changing everything.
It is about seeing where there is more potential and knowing exactly where to push.
The work is complete, but the story is not. Over the next phase, we will track how residents use the spaces, how the experience influences leasing and retention and where the strongest returns show up. The goal is not simply to deliver a better-looking property. It is to understand which interventions create measurable value and carry those learnings forward across the portfolio.
