Spades in the ground for 275-bed student accommodation scheme

GMI Construction Group has broken ground on a £50m student accommodation scheme in York.

Developer Olympian Homes is naming the purpose-build student accommodation (PBSA) Rialto House, after the cinema which used to occupy the site and once hosted a performance by The Beatles.

Spanning 80,000 sq feet, the four-storey building in the Fulford area will provide 275 beds alongside modern amenities, including a gym, yoga studio, games room, co-working spaces, group dining areas, integrated cycle parking, and landscaped courtyards.

In a nod to its heritage, it will also feature a cinema.

The site of the Rialto Cinema, which opened in 1913 and was demolished in 2003, is within an area of archaeological importance and adjacent to the Central Core Historic Conservation Area.

Latterly the site of the cinema became a car park for the adjacent Mecca bingo hall, which has also since been demolished and is within the scheme’s footprint.

GMI is active in the PBSA market, with Rialto House bringing the number of student beds it is building in the city to almost 600.

This includes 303-beds at a scheme in James Street on behalf of York-based S Harrison Developments, which is currently under construction.

Andrew Hurcomb, GMI’s regional director for Yorkshire, said: “We are thrilled to begin construction on our on-going collaboration with Olympian Homes to deliver a cost-effective, and sustainable design that helps address a shortage of student accommodation in York.”

James Lindridge, COO & development director at Olympian Homes, added: “We are pleased to have now made significant progress on such a landmark site within York.

“We would like to thank York City Council for their ongoing support in delivering the scheme, and GMI for their professionalism and deft in getting to this stage.

“We look forward to showcasing a best-in-class student product to assist with the undersupply of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation within York.”