ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan (UM) has taken another major step toward expanding student housing on its Central Campus, with 51 houses and apartment buildings demolished to clear space for future dormitories.
The demolition, which spanned about 210,000 square feet across 4.8 acres, is part of the second phase of UM’s ongoing housing initiative. The cleared land is bounded by East Madison and Hill streets and South Fifth Avenue and South Division Street.
This project follows the first phase of construction at the former Elbel Field site, where five new dorm buildings are rising to add 2,300 student beds. Those buildings, ranging from five to seven stories, represent the largest dormitory project for first-year students in the country and the first such facility UM has built since 1963.
The UM Board of Regents approved the $8 million demolition in May. According to university officials, the process involved extensive hazardous materials removal — including asbestos and contaminated soil — along with tree clearing, utility disconnections, and site preparation.
Local reactions to the demolition and expansion have been varied.
“I don’t like how buildings are getting taller and taller in the city, so it does impact me in terms of being able to see the sky,” said Sheila Calhoun, 67, a retired UM recreational sports staff member and Ann Arbor resident since 1979. “I love to be able to see nature and up high and the more and more I see buildings going up. It’s just bothersome, but I understand progress.”
Nicole Membrere, 19, a UM sophomore from Sterling Heights, said the dorm construction doesn’t affect her commute but could be a positive for other students. “The new dormitory construction could be beneficial to students in the marching band as the band practices on Elbel Field, a block away from the project,” she said.
For some residents, the project is welcomed as a solution to Ann Arbor’s competitive housing market. Mohammed Ahmed, 41, a longtime resident and cashier at Bonchon on South Main Street, said, “The university needs to build a lot more housing for its students and they need to make it attractive so that students would want to live in campus instead of going and renting outside, making the real estate market more competitive for everybody else.”
Ahmed added that UM should prioritize hiring local contractors and suppliers: “It’ll be better for everyone and rent will go down which will bring in more people.”
While demolition is complete, university officials note that the second phase of dorm construction has not yet been finalized or approved. Planning for additional student housing on Central Campus is still under review.
Still, the scale of the project underscores UM’s response to the rising demand for on-campus student housing in Ann Arbor, where high rents and limited availability often push students into the already competitive private rental market.
Once completed, the expansion is expected to transform Central Campus living, offering thousands of new dorm spaces, modern amenities, and closer access to campus life — while also reshaping the city’s skyline and neighborhood character.
Originally reported by William Diep in M Live.
.webp)
