Balfour Beatty Partners on University of Florida Student Housing Redevelopment

Highlights

• Balfour Beatty will help deliver a multi-phase student housing redevelopment at the University of Florida.
• The project will add 2,217 student beds across four residential buildings totaling more than 680,000 square feet.
• Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions is serving as developer, while Balfour Beatty's U.S. Buildings business is leading design-build delivery through a joint venture with Stellar Group.
• Construction is underway, with all four residential buildings expected to open in 2028.

Growing enrollment and aging campus housing continue to drive major investment in higher education infrastructure, and the University of Florida is advancing a large-scale residence hall redevelopment as part of its long-term campus modernization strategy. The initiative expands on-campus housing capacity while adding student support and accessibility services.

Student Housing Redevelopment Program

Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions and Balfour Beatty's U.S. Buildings operations are partnering with the University of Florida to redevelop the sites currently occupied by Trusler, Simpson and Graham halls in Gainesville.

The project is part of the university's 10-year Housing & Residence Life capital improvement program. Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions is serving as the project's developer, while Balfour Beatty's U.S. Buildings business is leading design-build delivery through a 65:35 joint venture with Stellar Group.

The design team includes Clark Nexsen and Walker Architects, while Rieth Jones Advisors is providing advisory services to the university.

The redevelopment will deliver four residential buildings providing approximately 2,217 student beds across more than 680,000 square feet.

Campus Amenities and Accessibility Features

Beyond new housing, the development includes a variety of student-focused amenities designed to support campus life and academic success.

Planned facilities include:

• Café and Amazon Market
• Package distribution center
• Multipurpose event space
• Study and collaboration areas
• Student gathering spaces
• Shared kitchens and floor-level laundry facilities

The project also includes an approximately 18,000-square-foot Disability Resource Center that will consolidate support services for more than 8,000 students and expand accessibility resources across campus.

Construction is currently underway. Two residence halls are scheduled for completion in fall 2028, with the remaining buildings expected to open later that year.

Why It Matters

Universities across the United States continue investing in modern student housing to address enrollment growth, replace aging facilities and improve campus competitiveness. Large-scale redevelopment programs such as the University of Florida's create significant opportunities for contractors, specialty trades and building material suppliers while expanding demand for integrated design-build delivery and long-term campus infrastructure planning.

Source: Balfour Beatty.