Star Development Group of Columbia broke ground Monday for Starview Plaza, a $33 million student housing project at 8700 Baltimore Ave. in College Park. When complete in August 2011, the project will contain 172 residences providing housing for 669 undergraduate students at the University of Maryland, College Park plus 351 parking spaces, 9,500 square feet of retail space, 7,000 square feet for student amenities and a 10,000-square-foot green roof. A 94-unit, 369-bed first phase is slated to open by the end of 2010. Hord Coplan Macht of Baltimore is the architect. Financing comes from a consortium of credit unions led by the State Employees Credit Union of Maryland. Star Development is a division of Star Global Ventures of Columbia.

- Edward Gunts