A highly anticipated campus housing development will bring much-needed new living quarters for University of Utah students.
A groundbreaking event was held on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, for the $155 million student housing development that will eventually be home to 1,400 students. The new public-private partnership (P3) will continue President Taylor Randall’s efforts to transition the U from a “commuter school” to a more traditional residential college campus over the next several years.
“Historically, the university has been very much a commuter campus where you come take your classes and leave. I’m a graduate of the University of Utah and that was my experience years ago,” said U Chief Operating Officer Jeff Labrum. “But there’s so much more the U has to offer, such as the opportunity to live and learn and really be immersed in the whole college experience. You build relationships and have opportunities to be around other people, learn from other people and make new friendships.”
“Not to mention the fact, there’s a significant positive impact on graduation rates as students tend to stay in college when building community becomes part of their student-life experience,” Labrum said.
Austin, Texas-based American Campus Communities, a Blackstone portfolio company, will build the 6-story residence hall with nearly 350,000 square feet of space designed for first- and second-year students. Okland Construction and MHTN Architects are local partners also working on the project that is scheduled for occupancy in Fall 2026.
“This project demonstrates how public-private partnerships can create transformative housing solutions tailored to the needs of today’s students,” said James E. Wilhelm III, Chief Development Officer at American Campus Communities. “Through our innovative American Campus Equity (ACE®) program, we are proud to deliver sustainable, purpose-built living spaces that align with the University of Utah’s vision for growth and community.”
Partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) allows the university to transfer the risk of a large development to a private partner in an effort to construct up to 5,000 additional beds on campus over the next five to 10 years.
“We are proud to invest in and partner with the University of Utah on this project, which brings critical new housing supply to the campus,” said Rob Harper, Head of Real Estate Asset Management Americas at Blackstone.
In the meantime, campus leaders are engaged in an ongoing effort to provide students with greater opportunities to have a fulfilling time while residing on campus.
“Students are living here and this is their home in their community. We want them to have the experience that they would have in a community where they have places to go on campus,” said Andrea Thomas, the university’s chief experience officer. “There are vibrant ways to relax, and they can connect with their friends. The goal is to create a home for students that helps them succeed in everything they’ve come to the U to achieve. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
Themed to highlight the campus’ natural outdoor beauty, amenities of the new housing space will include indoor bouldering walls, an excursion planning area, an outdoor patio, lawn games and hammocks, ski and snowboard storage lockers, indoor bike parking and repair areas, and a fitness center, as well as numerous added sustainable features.
For students like third-year strategic communications major Emma Koa, having a place that provides community is one of the primary reasons she came to the U in the first place.
“Student housing is important because it gives diverse groups of students the chance to have experiences that allow them to build relationships,” she said. “As a low-income student, affordable housing has helped me enhance my college experience and academics because I do not have to worry about where I am going to live while trying to attend school. Being on campus has also allowed me to feel safe, connect with mentors on campus, and access the various resources that were available to me on campus.”