The Vision for A New Residence Hall 

To accommodate the growing demand for students to live on campus, the University of St. Thomas will construct a new residence with beds for approximately 400 students. This project showcases the abundant opportunities to enhance student success by reducing financial and logistical burdens and increasing retention and graduation rates, while fostering a vibrant Catholic campus community.  

UST has partnered with Turner & Townsend Heery as its project managers, Corgan in partnership with The Lawrence Group, Jackson & Ryan Architects, and Harvey Cleary Builders to realize this important construction project. The new residence hall will be located on a site just north of the existing Guinan Residence Hall at the intersection of West Alabama Street and Graustark Street. It is designed to be nearly 100,000 square feet, five-story building containing approximately 400 beds (distributed in various unit types), several study support spaces, dining and lounge areas, an inviting lobby and activity area, an outdoor green space, and a chapel. The building design is intended to reflect Catholic values, with modern finishes, presenting a unique opportunity to merge architectural innovation with spiritual enrichment. This project seeks to create a living space that functions as a “second home” for students and fosters an environment conducive to the Catholic experience and holistic student development. This residence hall will utilize communal spaces that encourage interaction, connection, dialogue, and building relationships.  

The construction of a new residence hall will provide a much needed solution to our on-campus housing shortage, align with UST’s current residence model, uphold our Catholic mission, and foster a sense of belonging and connectedness to enhance student engagement and success. We will begin construction in summer 2026 and complete the project in 2028. 

UST leaders want students to both feel and be at home on our campus. With more student housing available, UST will provide students with an increased sense of belonging in a vibrant downtown environment. 

About the University of St. Thomas 

We are the University of St. Thomas, the Catholic university in the heart of Houston. We are committed to the Catholic intellectual tradition and the dialogue between faith and reason. By pursuing excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service, we embody and instill in our students the core values of our founders, the Basilian Fathers: goodness, discipline and knowledge. We foster engagement in a diverse, collaborative community.

The University of St. Thomas is a comprehensive university, grounded in the liberal arts. Committed to the unity of all knowledge, we offer programs in the traditional liberal arts, professional, and skill-based disciplines. Graduates of the University of St. Thomas think critically, communicate effectively, succeed professionally, and lead ethically.