The University of Memphis says a new student housing development is in the works that will broaden campus housing offerings for student athletes and health and nursing students.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the new development will be part of the Park Avenue Campus, which has seen $107 million in construction investments since 2015. That campus houses most athletic facilities, including the basketball center and football practice facilities, as well as health and nursing buildings and the University of Memphis Research Foundation Ventures.
The university declined to comment on an anticipated cost of the development or the number of beds.
In addition to the new student housing complex, the university plans to embark on a campus beautification project that will tear down some outdated buildings and offer new walkways, landscaping and lighting.
“With this housing development, we will continue that momentum and create another asset to greatly assist not only the efforts of our athletic programs, but also our research efforts as we continue pursuing our goal of becoming a Carnegie R1 institution in the near future," University President David Rudd said.
Up to 49% of the new beds in the complex will be for student athletes.
The announcement of the new housing comes about a week after Rudd said that the university had decided to significantly alter plans to build a student housing development along Deloach Street. Nearby residents had raised concerns about the 529-bed, $54.5 million complex and contended that it violated a longstanding agreement to limit what would be built on the street.
