Two new apartment buildings, designed for students, are going up on Ralston St., just a couple of blocks from campus. Arcadia Hall, a four-story building at the corner of Emerald and Ralston streets, will house 137 students in three- and four-bedroom apartments and should open next July. Nearby, the Davis Street Apartments will open August 1 and offer 51 beds in two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments. Rents for Davis St. range from $525 to $700 per bed, including all utilities, cable, and internet, and two parking spots per unit.

Though the apartments are targeted to students, it’s important to stress that this is off-campus housing, and has no relationship with Keene State. A large sign on the Davis Street Apartments clearly states that they are off-campus apartments; however, sign on the Arcadia site announces that the building is “Keene State College Student Housing.”

“How can they do that?” asked Kent Drake-Deese, director of the KSC’s residential life and housing services. “That’s not OK. If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume that either we were building it, or that we were in direct partnership with them.”

So if you’re driving by, don’t let the sign fool you. You’re not on campus anymore, Toto.