University of Cincinnati to construct 4-building housing complex south of campus
Construction will begin later this summer on a new four-building dorm complex with 1,300 beds and 20,000 square feet of recreational space at the University of Cincinnati.
The school's board of trustees voted last week to allocate $36 million toward the project on the northwest corner of E. McMillan and Vine streets. With that money, local contractor Turner Construction will begin excavation on the 2.1-acre site, install utilities, order HVAC and electrical equipment and build a parking podium underneath the future residential buildings.
Taking over this long-vacant plot of land, which straddles Scioto Lane and sits across from the CVS Pharmacy in Clifton Heights, will mean that the university is expanding south from its campus boundary north of Calhoun Street.
Between Vine Street and Scioto Lane, "Block 1" will feature three separate housing structures connected at the ground level, as well as a recreation center and 125 to 200 parking spaces. Only one residential building west of Scioto Lane will be built in "Block 2."
A police safety substation will also be incorporated into the site at the request of the local community, according to the university.
The University of Cincinnati will purchase the land from the Clifton Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, also known as CHCURC. Last October, the board approved $8.5 million for the acquisition.
Current estimates suggest that the overall development will cost $100 million. The project is anticipated to wrap construction in summer 2027.
More housing needed at UC to accommodate growth
The decision to purchase the extra land is an attempt to ease the current housing crisis that's faced the university for the last few years as it experiences record growth in the student population. Demand for university housing is expected to increase by 25% over the next six years, according to the board of trustees' April 23 meeting minutes.
"In the aftermath of COVID, demand for urban housing overall (locally and nationally) is rising, and this includes the area around UC’s Uptown Campus," wrote the university's board of trustees in its minutes. "UC’s appeal as a destination campus and our mission as a transformational engine for regional talent demands, workforce development, and educational opportunities requires planning for growth."
Both the school and private development groups are trying to capitalize on the need for student housing by renovating and building more large-scale projects on and near campus:
After completing an $80 million renovation of 57-year-old Calhoun Hall, the university's largest housing facility, Siddall Hall next door, is undergoing a revamp set to open this fall.
On the west side of campus at Straight Street and Stratford Avenue, Chicago-based real estate firm Core Spaces will open Hub Cincinnati to university students later this year. The amenity-rich complex includes 380 fully-furnished units and 1,112 beds.
A shuttle ride away from campus, 136-unit rental complex The Vanguard is rising on a 4.5-acre site east side of Interstate 75, also opening this fall.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: University of Cincinnati to tackle housing crisis with 4 new dorms
