Core Spaces plans to expand its presence near the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with three new purpose-built student housing developments. Together, the projects will deliver more than 3,500 beds between 2028 and 2031.
Core first entered the market in 2020 with the development of Hub Champaign, now The Dean, followed by Hub Champaign Daniel in 2021, which the firm now owns and manages. In 2025, Core further expanded its UIUC portfolio through the acquisition of multiple properties along Green Street.
“This place means a lot to us,” says Marc Lifshin, CEO and co-founder, who is a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumnus. “We’ve been buying properties in anticipation of this moment to do something special at the alma mater of so many people at our company. We used to joke that we only hire U of I grads because, at one point, they made up about 80 percent of our company.”
In fall 2025, Core broke ground on Hub Champaign Green Street, a 49
