The team will create a new residential community

The University of Michigan has engaged American Campus Communities (ACC) in a public-private partnership (P3) to lead the development of a new residential community that will dramatically reshape Central Campus housing. Together with RAMSA (design architect and architect of record) and Elkus Manfredi Architects (interior architect), the team will create a new residential community with five residence halls totaling 2,300 student beds and a 900-seat dining facility—the largest of its kind among academic institutions.

© RAMSA

The University’s Board of Regents approved the $631 million project on September 21, 2023 and a groundbreaking ceremony at the new project’s site was hosted by the University on October 13, 2023. The new environmentally sustainable living-learning student community is anticipated to be completed in 2026.

The Central Campus residence hall represents our continued investment in strengthening our students’ experience on campus, Many more generations of Wolverines will live, learn, and grow in these incredible, innovative spaces.

Martino Harmon, vice president for student life

The new housing and dining project, located between East Hoover Avenue and Hill Street, will help meet the demand among undergraduate students for affordable on-campus housing on Central Campus. The facility will be the first Central Campus residence halls built specifically for first-year students since 1963 and will significantly alleviate a decades-long shortage of on-campus student housing. The residential community will significantly further the University’s carbon neutrality goals. The dining hall, for example, will use geothermal exchange systems for heating and cooling, as well as an innovative all-electric design for both the housing and dining facilities. The development is designed to earn LEED-Platinum certification and incorporates new energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, a high-performance building envelope, and solar panels on the roof.

© Elkus Manfredi Architects

To develop the new Central Campus residential community, Elbel Field will be relocated and a new facility will be constructed one block north of its current site. The new Elbel Field will include a teaching and practice facility for the Michigan Marching Band.

About American Campus Communities

American Campus Communities (ACC) is the country’s largest developer, owner and manager of high-quality student housing communities. Since its inception 30 years ago, ACC has completed more than 115 P3 transactions at 65 colleges and universities across the nation. The company has expertise in the design, finance, development, construction management and operational management of student housing properties.

About RAMSA

Robert A.M. Stern Architects is an international architectural practice based in New York City offering architecture, urban planning, landscape, and interior design services. For more than 50 years, the practice has remained committed to architecture as an art and a profession. As a leading design firm with expertise in residential, commercial, and institutional projects, RAMSA believes buildings must gracefully satisfy clients' needs while speaking to the public and elevating everyday life. The firm maintains an attention to detail and commitment to design quality which has earned international recognition, numerous awards and citations for design excellence.

About Elkus Manfredi Architects

Elkus Manfredi Architects is a full-service design practice focused on architecture, interior architecture, master planning, urban design, and historic preservation. The firm’s diverse portfolio of work includes planning and design for environments for work, living, play, learning, and innovation. With a 35-year legacy of design excellence, Elkus Manfredi is recognized for its strategic work in academic, corporate, hospitality, life science, residential, and mixed-use place-making that fosters inclusive community, connection, and sustainability at every scale.