The Vision for A New Residence Hall 

In response to the growing demand for student housing on campus, UST will construct a new residence hall to accommodate an additional 400+ students. This project addresses critical barriers to student success by reducing financial and logistical burdens, enhancing retention and graduation rates, while fostering a vibrant Catholic campus community.  

UST has partnered with Turner & Townsend Heery as its project managers, Corgan Architects in partnership with The Lawrence Group, Jackson & Ryan Architects, and Harvey Builders to realize this critical 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 SF, 5-story building containing 400+ beds (distributed in various unit types), several study support spaces, dining and lounge areas, an inviting lobby and activity area, an outdoor quad, and a chapel that will hold up to 60 people. The building design is intended to reflect Catholic values, while keeping an eye toward the future, presenting a unique opportunity to merge architectural innovation with spiritual enrichment. This project seeks to create a living space that not only functions as a “second home” for students but also 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 sorely needed solution to our 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. The residence hall is estimated to cost $55.3 million, including design, demolition of existing structures, construction including substantial underground water detention, and furnishings. The University of St. Thomas Board of Directors has approved a financial model wherein two-thirds of the building cost ($38.3 million) will be funded by philanthropy with the remaining third ($17 million) to be supported by bank financing. We will begin construction in October of 2025 and complete the project in time for the 2027 academic year. 

UST wants students to not simply feel at home on our campus, but to be at home on our campus. With more student housing available, UST will provide students and faculty with an increased sense of belonging in a commuter-centric city. 

About the University of St. Thomas 

Founded in 1947, the University of St. Thomas is the ONLY Catholic university in Houston. Today, we are home to a vibrant community of more than 4,300 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students in pursuit of a Catholic liberal arts education. At the University of St. Thomas, our goal is not to simply confer degrees – rather, we strive to create a holistic, values-centered collegiate experience wherein students combine ethics, culture, faith, morals, and academics, to become more well-rounded individuals who are poised to transform the world. We remain steadfast in our commitment 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. 

UST is on a trajectory of unprecedented growth, launching dozens of new majors, minors, and programs to meet the needs of our increasing student population, including STEM, nursing, engineering, as well as graduate programs, such as the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. UST’s core curriculum is thoughtfully designed to help students develop and enhance the necessary skills for today’s highly competitive employment marketplace, such as communication, collaboration, and strategic thinking, without compromising on expressing their faith and values.

As outlined by our Greater Things strategic vision, the University of St. Thomas is in the midst of a period of incredible growth, welcoming ever-increasing classes of students and launching new programs and partnerships to support their academic pursuits. In response, the University has launched a comprehensive capital campaign to support this influx of students with the creation of a new student residence hall being the campaign’s highest priority and initial construction project. Presently, UST housing can support a maximum capacity of 400 students in our existing on-campus facilities while relying on external housing partnerships with several nearby apartment complexes to accommodate the excess demand. Immediate attention is directed toward enhancing on-campus housing due to this shortage, with existing facilities operating at 180% capacity.  

In a practical sense, more students are seeking on-campus housing to avoid long commutes, high off-campus rents, and to fully engage in the many extracurricular activities, athletics, and social opportunities our campus has to offer. Unfortunately, current UST facilities simply cannot accommodate the demand without expansion. To accommodate student desire to be closer to campus, we have partnered with nearby apartment complexes to provide additional housing resources, but this arrangement of living near campus is cost prohibitive for many and it does not add value to the student experience or the University’s culture. Further, expanding our efforts to recruit more students from beyond the Houston metro area is contingent upon the availability of attractive housing options. 

Fostering Student Success and Retention 

Increasing UST’s available student housing represents more than a practical alternative to commuting or providing the quintessential college experience. The presence of a robust on-campus housing system extends far beyond convenience—it transforms the student experience. National data consistently reveals that students who live on campus are more likely to engage deeply in their academic and social environments. At UST, we currently can only provide on-campus housing for 10% of our student body at an absolute maximum, which is a relatively small data set for meaningful analytics. Living on campus is particularly crucial for our low-income and first-generation students, as it significantly enhances students’ sense of community and belonging—a key determinant of academic success. For first-generation and lower-income students, the ability to participate in a vibrant residential life means reduced stress from commuting and increased access to faculty, advisors, and peers. These connections directly contribute to persistence and higher academic achievement. 

When students live on campus, they are more likely to build relationships with their peers and faculty, to get more involved on campus, and to take advantage of the extensive student support systems already available to them, such as tutoring and mental health counseling. Proximity to these resources enhances students’ sense of belonging and ensures that they can fully participate in campus life. For UST, a commuter-centric institution in the heart of Houston, this sense of community is paramount. 

By providing affordable on-campus housing options, UST is addressing critical barriers to equity in education. Students who live on campus avoid the financial and logistical burdens of lengthy commutes and skyrocketing urban housing costs, enabling them to focus fully on their studies and personal development. For many, this opportunity levels the playing field, ensuring that all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, can access a transformative education. 

As Houston’s only Catholic University, we know that allowing more students to live on our campus can also deepen and strengthen their engagement with God and with our Church. The 400 students who currently reside on our campus have already established an extraordinary community of peer ministry amongst themselves. These experiences shape students into servant-leaders of academic and spiritual fitness who carry UST’s mission into the wider world, and we are excited to build upon that foundation moving forward.  

Strengthening the University’s Financial Stability 

Expanding on-campus housing offers UST a unique opportunity to enhance not only the student experience but also the University’s financial foundation. Increased revenues from student housing dues will provide a reliable and recurring source of funding that, once the building’s financing is paid off, can be reinvested in critical areas such as academic programming, student support services, and campus infrastructure. 

By accommodating an additional 400 students in the new residence hall, UST can significantly reduce reliance on external housing partnerships and capture the revenue that is currently being diverted to off-campus housing providers. These funds will enable UST to enhance its offerings in ways that directly impact students, such as providing additional scholarships, expanding campus ministry programs, and upgrading facilities. 

Moreover, as UST seeks to grow its student body to 7,000 by 2030, the availability of expanded housing will play a pivotal role in attracting prospective students, particularly those from outside the Houston metro area. The ability to offer a complete residential experience will make UST more competitive in the higher education landscape, ensuring both increased enrollment and sustained financial health. 

Additionally, with a thoughtful pricing structure, the new residence hall can help generate surplus revenues that can support the University’s mission-driven initiatives, including expanding access for underserved populations. Every dollar invested in student housing is a step toward building a self-sustaining ecosystem that nurtures student success while advancing UST’s strategic goals.