REAL estate investment company, Zimre Property Investments Limited (ZPIL), has splashed thousands of dollars towards development of off campus accommodation units for tertiary students in Bulawayo.

The company is finalising refurbishment of its Nicoz Building in the Central Business District, which has been turned into off campus accommodation facility for students. The building is located at Corner Fort Street and 9th Avenue, has gross internal floor of 3 87854m2 and is wholly owned by ZPIL.

A Business Chronicle crew had the opportunity to tour the new look accommodation facility from the ground to the fourth floor. The facility has 440m2 of shopping space for letting on the lower ground floor.

Senior ZIPL officials said the project was meant to contribute to the provision of accommodation to tertiary students from various institutions in Bulawayo.

“Nicoz House has been renovated to accommodate 200 tertiary students from universities and colleges in Bulawayo. This will be the first biggest student accommodation facility in town. The facility is set to start operating on the 1st of November 2018,” ZPIL Bulawayo branch manager, Mr Girison Afia, said. He took the news crew through ground and first floors, which provide different sets of two inter-linking rooms separated with a wall or a breast of back to back built-in cupboards.

The second and third floor have self-contained rooms with a bedroom, kitchenette and a bathroom with a shower and toilet. Two built-in cupboards are provided in each room.

Mr Afia said the eastern wing will be allocated to the female students while the western wing will be allocated to the male students.

“Both wings have ablution facilities with toilets, showers, and laundry and wash hand basins. The floors and walls are tiled with porcelain and ceramic tiles to allow for easy cleaning and dry surfaces,” he explained.

“The entrance is accessible through a biometric access system complete with a 24-hour security of the residents.The building is provided with a central water heating system enough for hot shower. The student residents will have access to a 24-hour uncapped Wi-Fi to allow for flexible study time.”

Mr Afia said the lower ground floor would retain the two shops but tenancy has been switched to accommodate a restaurant and a surgery as supporting facilities, at own cost to the resident students.

He said in consideration of students’ welfare, the food from the restaurant will be provided only to resident occupants at a reduced cost, excluding special meals. Bulawayo is home to several tertiary education centres that include the National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo Polytechnic College, United College of Education, Zimbabwe School of Mines, Bulawayo School of Hospitality, Solusi Adventist University on the outskirts of the town and several private colleges that offer a variety of courses.

Provision of standard accommodation is at the heart of successful marketing and making attractive these learning centres to local and international students.