CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The University of Virginia has selected a design-build team to deliver a major new upper-class residential development on campus, advancing plans to expand student housing and enhance on-campus living experiences.
According to a university news release, Capstone Development Partners, working with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team, will lead development of the three-building, 310,000-square-foot residential complex. The project is designed to house approximately 780 students and is scheduled for completion in fall 2027.
In addition to apartment-style student housing, the complex will include 19,000 square feet of dining and retail space, supporting both residential life and broader campus activity. The project is part of UVA’s ongoing efforts to modernize housing options while strengthening its residential learning environment.
“On behalf of Capstone and our design-build team, we are honored to serve as UVA’s partner and are committed to delivering exceptional new student housing communities on Grounds that will support UVA’s continued commitment to providing vibrant, engaging, and unique residential learning environments,” said Capstone Development Partners’ Managing Principal William Davis.
Capstone Development Partners will serve as the fee developer, overseeing both design and construction, while project financing will be provided by the University, the release stated. The design-build approach is intended to streamline delivery while maintaining design quality and cost control.
Elkus Manfredi Architects, known for higher education and civic projects, emphasized the importance of context and student experience in shaping the design.
“It is our special privilege to design buildings and spaces on the Grounds conceived by Thomas Jefferson and known for its extraordinary sense of place,” said David P. Manfredi, Elkus Manfredi Architects’ CEO and Founding Principal. “The residential experience is about making a home for students – inclusive and accessible, supportive and collegial, healthy and nurturing.”
Renderings released for the project show a residential environment intended to blend with UVA’s historic campus while meeting contemporary student needs. The development will contribute to the university’s broader housing strategy as enrollment demand and expectations for modern amenities continue to grow.
University officials say the new complex will help accommodate upper-class students seeking apartment-style living on campus, while also reinforcing UVA’s long-standing emphasis on residential education as a core part of the student experience.
Originally reported by Matt Jones in Space 4 Learning.
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