Olympian Homes start work on York student accommodation

GMI Construction Group has broken ground on a £50M student accommodation scheme on the site of a former York cinema and bingo hall.

Developer Olympian Homes is naming the purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) Rialto House, after the cinema that once hosted a performance by The Beatles.

The 7,500m², four-storey building in the Fulford area will provide 275 beds alongside an array of modern amenities, including a gym, yoga studio, games room, co-working spaces, group dining areas, integrated cycle parking, and landscaped courtyards. In a nod to its heritage, it will also feature a cinema.
The development is a 10-minute walk from the city centre and seven-minute bus ride from the University of York.

The site of the Rialto Cinema, which opened in 1913 and demolished in 2003, is located within an area of archaeological importance and adjacent to the Central Historic Core Conservation Area.

Andrew Hurcomb, GMI Regional Director for Yorkshire, said: “We are thrilled to begin construction on our on-going collaboration with Olympian Homes to deliver a cost-effective, and sustainable design that helps address a shortage of student accommodation in York.”