LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

The facilities will house students from the university’s College of Engineering and the E.J. Ourso College of Business. “This isn’t just about breaking ground,” said Jeremy Doss, senior vice president of RISE: A Real Estate Company, in a university news story. “It’s about opening the door to new opportunities for our students.”

The development comes through a public-private partnership model, the same that the university has used to construct a variety of recent projects. LSU is partnering with RISE and Lemoine for construction services, as well as with Brailsford & Dunleavy and CSRS for design.

According to a university news story from June 2025, the project was spurred by a recent growth in student enrollment. The fall 2025 freshman class of about 8,000 is the school’s largest incoming class ever, breaking the record for the eighth consecutive year.

“Frankly, it’s a good problem to have, because other institutions around the country and some around the state are faltering,” said Interim President Matt Lee. “There are some challenges that come with that. I’d be disingenuous if I didn’t say that.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.