The Hive student housing in The Quarters now open for fall move-ins

The Hive, an affordable student housing development in The Quarters, is now accepting applications for fall move-ins at 9629 102 Avenue NW.

Run by platform Elev in partnership with Five Oaks, the building offers 65 fully furnished units starting at $588 per month. The residence was originally scheduled to open in October 2024 but faced a lengthy permitting process. "We'd really like to focus the conversation on the exciting momentum around The Hive and what comes next, rather than revisiting past permit-related challenges," wrote Elev co-founder Jean Bruce Koua in early June.

Koua co-founded Elev in 2020 after struggling to find affordable housing as an international student at the University of Alberta. He partnered with Five Oaks owner Gene Dub in 2024 to convert the former Salvation Army Centre of Hope into student housing. Applications are being taken through in-person sessions and via the Elev digital platform.

While the summer timing may seem unusual for student housing, Koua said the biggest jump in tenancy will come at the end of August when fall semester approaches — many students book accommodations in four or eight-month blocks. "When you look at the student-housing cycle, many students look in blocks of four or eight months," Koua explained. "The winter semester? That's for the brave people."

The Hive sits directly beside The Quarters stop on the Valley Line LRT, though a transfer to the Capital Line at Churchill Station is needed to reach the University of Alberta or NAIT. MacEwan University and NorQuest College are also nearby. Koua and Dub are exploring bringing in an operator for an on-site commercial kitchen to help feed residents. The Connected Kitchen Project was previously tapped for the role but moved on to other opportunities during the permitting delays.