The Retreat at Bunn Hill, a newly opened off-campus housing option, officially welcomed its first Binghamton University residents this fall.

The Retreat is a 700-bed, 161-unit, cottage-style development built exclusively for off-campus student housing. It is also equipped with amenities including an academic lounge, private study rooms, a 24/7 fitness center, a pool and hot tub, a gaming lawn and outdoor grilling, all of which are available to paying residents.

The Retreat is located between Bunn Hill Road and Jensen Road, with access to campus available via a shuttle bus that runs roughly every 30 minutes. The total community takes up 314,300 square feet and there are 554 parking spaces available on site.

Landmark Construction, the in-house general contractor for Landmark Properties, partnered with Peninsula Investments to manage construction when it officially began in October 2024, with major construction wrapping up in the summer of 2026.

The Retreat offers 15 different floor plans of two- to five-bedroom cottages. Each unit includes a kitchen, in-unit laundry, provided internet and cable and private bathrooms for every bedroom.

Melanie Ulloa, a junior majoring in chemistry, currently lives at The Retreat with three other roommates. Ulloa, who previously lived in College-in-the-Woods, said that she initially decided to live there because of it was well-advertised to her and more cost-efficient than her previous unit. She told Pipe Dream that she enjoys having her own space, living with friends and having access to the various amenities.

Daniel Berkey, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, also mentioned that one of the best parts about living at The Retreat is having his own space.

“Best part would have to be either just having my own house and we have our own kitchen and that’s really nice,” he said. “And then my own room, and my own bathroom, or the pool.”

Some other residents reported issues.

“The house was decently scratched up when we moved in (probably from rushed construction) and certain stuff is still not done,” Andrew Santilli, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, wrote to Pipe Dream.

Santilli also noted that their backyard doesn’t have grass and their Ethernet cables haven’t been installed.

“I seriously don’t think they were prepared for us to move in when we did, but after some cleaning and decorating I really do like the way our house turned out,” he wrote.

The price of housing at The Retreat ranges from $1,042.95 per month to $1,442.95 per month, depending on the unit. Prices on the website are noted as marked down but are typically higher.

Berkey said that he was offered a concession on rent as a new resident this year.

“It’s worth the money, like it’s a little on the higher end, but it’s worth the money because they have a lot of amenities and stuff,” Ulloa said. “And some of them haven’t been ready, but they got on it pretty quick, so it was nice, it’s easy to take advantage of. And the shuttle is really nice, easy to get to class, and I have my own space now.”

Ulloa also mentioned that to dispose of their garbage, residents have to drive down the street to the dumpster about once a week. She also mentioned that to partake in Downtown Binghamton’s nightlife, residents have to either take the off-campus shuttle to BU’s campus and transfer to the OCCT bus or get a taxi.

The Retreat faced backlash before construction from a local Facebook group, Friends for Responsible Vestal Zoning. In an effort to stop the housing development, Friends for Responsible Vestal Zoning filed a lawsuit arguing that The Retreat would cause traffic problems, increase water runoff and ruin the natural environment of the rural neighborhood.

The New York State Supreme Court Third Judicial Department Appellate Division unanimously ruled against Friends for Responsible Vestal Zoning in 2024, and The Retreat construction project was later given the legal go-ahead to officially start its development.

Santilli said that he would recommend The Retreat for future students.

“It’s definitely a very nice place with lots of amenities, but definitely check it out and see what’s best for you because living here usually means having to cook and clean a lot more than you would at a dorm and it means having to find a way to get to campus!” he wrote.

The Retreat did not respond to Pipe Dream’s request for comment.