September 29, 2025
Fairlawn is proud to announce the successful completion of two new purpose-built student housing communities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: 608 Chalmers and 404 Clark. Developed by Fairlawn, these communities will be managed by Smile Student Living, Fairlawn’s best-in-class student housing management platform. Both communities welcomed students in August and are fully leased, underscoring the strong demand for high-quality student housing in the market.
608 Chalmers is an exceptional new development located just steps from the University of Illinois Main Quad. This property offers 115 units across studio, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom layouts, designed to appeal to a wide range of student housing needs. Features include modern finishes, bed-to-bath parity, first floor study rooms, and a rooftop deck with sweeping campus views. With its prime walk-to-class location and lifestyle-focused features, 608 Chalmers quickly attracted strong leasing interest, becoming fully leased in its first leasing cycle. This development was made possible through the collaboration of Mode 3 Architecture, Wells and Wells Construction, Wintrust Financial Corporation, and the dedicated Fairlawn team.
Located in a sought-after neighborhood near campus, 404 Clark delivers a boutique housing option within Smile Student Living’s growing portfolio. The building offers 62 one-bedroom apartments featuring stainless steel appliances, in-unit laundry, and plank flooring—a modern, efficient product that aligns perfectly with student demand for private living spaces. 404 Clark is also fully leased, further validating Fairlawn’s strategy of delivering high-quality properties in strong student housing markets. Developed in partnership with Mode 3 Architecture and Fairlawn’s in-house construction team, 404 Clark demonstrates the value of combining thoughtful design with efficient execution.
“The on-schedule completion and full lease-up of both 608 Chalmers and 404 Clark reflect the strong demand for quality student housing and the strength of our team and partners,” said Gozen Hartman, CEO of Fairlawn. “We’re proud to offer students exceptional living experiences while creating value for our investors.”
With the addition of 608 Chalmers and 404 Clark, Fairlawn now owns and manages more than 4,000 student-housing beds, of which 3,700 are located across Champaign-Urbana and managed by Smile Student Living. Achieving full occupancy at both new properties reaffirms the depth of demand for well-located, high-quality housing near the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Fairlawn remains committed to building lasting relationships with investors, lenders, and partners who share our vision of Creating Better Places while delivering strong, sustainable returns.
For more information about 608 Chalmers and 404 Clark, visit smilestudentliving.com/new-developments.
About Fairlawn: Fairlawn is a vertically integrated multifamily real estate investment, management, and development firm based in Chicago and Champaign, IL, with roughly 5,750 units and $750 million in assets under management. More than 2,000 of these units – totaling over 4,000 beds – are dedicated to student housing, reflecting the company’s expertise in creating high-quality, amenity-rich communities for university markets. With ambitious plans for continued growth, Fairlawn is focused on expanding its portfolio across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and other targeted Midwest markets.
608 Chalmers
404 Clark
