Johnson & Wales University is pressing ahead with a high-dollar campus reshuffle, converting the former DoubleTree by Hilton in Uptown Charlotte into a new student residence dubbed The Maple. The project is pitched as a way to add large, centrally located housing and expanded student services right in the middle of the school’s Gateway Village footprint.
According to the Charlotte Business Journal, the conversion is slated as about a $42 million project, with the building coming in at roughly 97,000 square feet. That coverage notes that The Maple is expected to include student living spaces, consolidated student-service operations and upgraded common areas geared toward upperclass housing.
Project details
Johnson & Wales first signaled its intent to pull the hotel into the campus orbit in a January 2024 announcement, describing the move as part of a review of student housing options and a broader strategy to boost enrollment. In a press release from Johnson & Wales University, campus president Richard Mathieu said, “We are excited for the hotel facility to formally be integrated into our campus footprint,” and the school noted that a local architecture firm has been tapped to overhaul the interiors and rework the Academic Center courtyard.
Where it sits
The property is tucked inside Gateway Village on West Trade Street. Local listings place the former DoubleTree at 895 W Trade St, essentially right up against the existing Johnson & Wales campus. Event and travel listings, including Meetings & Conventions, identify the hotel and address as part of the university neighborhood, which means the future residence hall would sit an easy walk from classrooms and core campus services.
Why it matters
University officials and local stakeholders note that clustering on-campus housing near academic buildings can tighten up student life while also funneling more weekday traffic to nearby restaurants and shops. Coverage in the Charlotte Business Journal frames The Maple as a key piece of Johnson & Wales’ effort to modernize public spaces on campus and carve out a more clearly defined collegiate feel in Uptown.
The university has not yet released a detailed timeline for permits, design work or construction. Neighbors and nearby businesses are likely to keep an eye on city filings and public-meeting notices as the proposal moves through the process. We will continue tracking official documents and university updates as The Maple advances through design and approval stages.
