UT details 3 new dorms, apartment complex partnership

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The University of Tennessee is looking to house more students in the coming years, addressing an on-going housing issue the campus has been seeing recently.

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The plans include three more residence halls and a partnership with an apartment complex to provide more university-sanctioned rooms for students.

The upcoming residence halls will be built in partnership with RISE Real Estate, a company based in Valdosta, Georgia. It’ll be the first round of halls built with a public-private partnership.

“The public-private partnership with RISE is an important step to help meet the student housing needs of our growing campus,” said Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas. “These projects will add to the student experience as we modernize and expand our campus housing inventory. We are excited with our partnership with RISE and the opportunity to make this project a reality for the campus community.”

All three buildings are expected to be seven stories tall, with two planned in areas adjacent to current university housing. The dorms will be built on Andy Holt Avenue, Caledonia Avenue and near Lindsey Nelson Stadium, according to the university.

The Andy Holt dorm is set to add 2,500 beds to campus, with the Caledonia dorm planned to add 1,100. Both of those dorms will be reserved for first- and second-year students and open in 2025. The third dorm will add 750 apartment-style beds, university officials said, with a planned opening for 2026.

As far as the RISE partnership, the university will continue to own the land the dorms are built on, with RISE developing, financing and building the buildings. The university will also have the option to buy the buildings at a later date.

The university is also planning a partnership with the Lakemoor Station Apartments complex for the 2023-24 school year. That complex will add 192 beds to the university’s system, with more under construction for 2024.

While about five miles off campus, the Lakemoor rooms will be staffed by a hall director, assistant hall director and resident assistant staff. A UT transit service will also be available for residents.

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