Located just steps from Penn State University, this 520,000 square-foot, 12-story apartment building features student living apartments, a community center, retail space and below-grade parking. During the schematic design process, the PE team was tasked with delivering the most economical and schedule-friendly structural system for the project. After studying seven different structural systems, the team selected nine levels of cold-formed bearing walls over six levels (with three below grade) of post tensioned concrete slabs. As an additional cost saving measure, PE worked with the contractor to eliminate the cast-in-place concrete walls at the basement. The shotcrete walls with soil nails used as temporary earth retention during construction were designed to remain in place as a permanent earth retention system instead.