SHREVEPORT, La. – Oliver Gill has walked the Pilots Pointe Apartments property for the last five years – first as a maintenance supervisor and now as general manager.
Gill has been on the front lines of ongoing renovations to LSU Shreveport’s only residential housing option, improvements that have reinvigorated student demand for on-campus housing.
Pilots Pointe is projected to be at 100 percent occupancy once classes begin later this month.
“We’ve seen that demand increase from LSUS students that want to live here,” said Gill, general manager of Pilots Pointe under RISE Real Estate. “Students and parents are commenting on the renovations and are noticing the efforts to improve the living experience here.
“It’s exciting to see this work paying off.”
Renovations began soon after LSUS gained ownership of the property in 2020.
This summer has been especially busy with projects like unit renovations, new roofs, new hot water boilers, completion of underground piping, enhanced signage and progress on the new driving bridge connecting the apartments to the heart of campus.
Eight units received makeovers this summer that include a walk-in shower, quartz countertops, new cabinets, new flooring and stainless-steel appliances.
More than 80 percent of the 386 beds are in renovated units with plans to complete the remaining units in the next few years.
“You can say housing is important, but LSUS has put the investment behind those words as we continue to renovate and upgrade,” said Trisha Farnsworth-Smith, LSUS director of auxiliary services, which includes housing. “Pilots Pointe is a great bargain, and it’s getting better and better.
“Our students are becoming more aware of Pilots Pointe through increased promotion efforts with admissions and recruiting, and they are choosing in larger numbers to live on campus.”
Pilots Pointe was recognized in 2023 on the Rising 1K ORA Power Rankings, which lists properties that underwent the most significant improvements that year.
Those ongoing improvements boosted occupancy rates that dipped as low as 59 percent at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, climbing to 85 percent by 2023-24 and pushing to 97 percent this past year.
The property has historically partnered with other area institutions to fill vacancies, but almost all of the residents this coming year are affiliated with LSUS.
Housing is a key factor in where students attend college as Pilots Pointe is attracting more traditional undergraduate students as part of LSUS’s record enrollment of 11,359 set this past fall.
And once students drop anchor at Pilots Pointe, Gill says they are more than likely to stay.
Lease renewals spiked 49 percent this year as satisfied students decided to return.
Demetrius Brown, vice chancellor for student affairs, said it’s gratifying for students to pick on-campus housing because LSUS doesn’t have a residency requirement.
“Students choose to live at Pilots Pointe, and we must respect that choice by continually working with our students to hit the mark on their needs,” Brown said. “Most students are really supportive of the changes we have made, and they can see and feel those changes.
“LSUS and our partners at RISE are committed to continuous improvement because we want our students to have an incredible and affordable experience.”
LSUS is doubling down on that experience with enhanced student programming at Pilots Pointe along with renovated amenities like a new pool deck, new pool furniture and a renovated clubhouse.
One piece of the student experience that will greatly improve is travelling back and forth from the apartments to the heart of campus.
A driving and pedestrian bridge is scheduled to be completed in early 2027 that will allow students to cross a ravine-sized drainage culvert without having to make a challenging left-hand turn on Youree Drive in front of Wal-Mart to access the main LSUS entrance.
Student safety is also enhanced by an LSUS Police presence on the property, with officers taking the place of third-party security this past May.
“LSUS Police is invested in the whole experience there, and they get out of their vehicles and walk the property,” Farnsworth-Smith said. “They are on site seven days per week, and that’s a big value add.”
Gill appreciates the continued investment in both the physical property and the student experience.
“LSUS has been very receptive to us identifying needs and proposing changes,” Gill said. “When I started, I created a list of 20 items that I felt needed attention.
“We’ve knocked out 16 of those in the last three years, and we’ve had great support.”
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