Tufts University Breaks Ground on Two New Residence Halls
Tufts University in Medford, Mass., recently broke ground on two new residence halls with a total capacity of 664 beds, according to local news. The project’s ultimate goal is to expand on-campus housing and reduce pressure on the local housing market. The university is partnering with Capstone Development Partners through a public-private partnership (P3) to develop, finance, and manage the new property, as well as with Elkus Manfredi Architects and Erland Construction.
The development will take over a former parking lot and cover 271,000 square feet. The two buildings will contain studio, two-, four-, and six-bedroom units with an additional 12,000 square feet of amenity space, including lounges, conference rooms, laundry rooms, a bike room, and fitness and study spaces. It will also feature 4,000 square feet of retail and social spaces on the lower floors, local news reports.
“Aided by the expertise of our development team, we’ve been able to reduce construction costs and time and bring to fruition a project that will enhance student life, benefit our neighbors, and enliven our streetscape—all in an environmentally responsible way,” said Tufts University Executive Vice President Mike Howard.
The buildings will be all-electric and were designed with improved indoor air quality, enhanced energy efficiency, and airtight envelopes at top-of-mind. Landscaping and other off-site improvements will help blend the new facility into the existing neighborhood.
“This is more than a residence hall—it’s a community-building project,” said Walker May, Executive Vice President of Capstone. “By creating affordable, high-quality housing on campus, we’re supporting students and the surrounding neighborhood.”
The new space is scheduled to open for the fall 2027 semester, local news reports, and upper-division students will receive leasing priority.
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Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].