Hard hats are on and dirt is flying at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, where crews broke ground Friday, June 12, 2026, on a new five-story residence hall that will add roughly 400 beds and roughly double the university’s on-campus housing capacity. The building is planned just north of Guinan Hall on the Sul Ross block and marks the latest move in UST’s shift from a commuter-heavy campus to a more residential one.
Project details
As reported by the Houston Business Journal, the residence hall carries a budget of about $45 million for roughly 95,000 square feet of space. Plans call for suite-style units paired with common study areas and student lounges, with the new beds expected to roughly double the amount of student housing on campus and bring more undergraduates closer to classes and student services.
Funding and campaign
University materials describe the project as being backed by two of the largest gifts in UST’s history, with the campaign raising tens of millions for the effort, according to UST's Encounter magazine. The university’s campaign site lists the new residence hall as a top priority of the “Come and See” capital drive and notes that preparatory site work and contractor staging began in 2025. Documentation from Campaign for UST outlines project partners and fundraising milestones tied to the build.
Design and partners
Architect Corgan, working with partner The Lawrence Group, designed the hall around generous community spaces and an on-site chapel described as the building’s spiritual heart, according to project information from Corgan. The plans emphasize natural light, an outdoor quad and a mix of single and double bedrooms, all intended to support both the social side of college life and the academic grind.
Timeline and approvals
Public filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation list the project at 1302 Sul Ross Street with a valuation of $45 million and registration activity dating back to 2025. University planning materials and campaign updates identify Turner & Townsend Heery as project managers and name Harvey Builders among the contractors, with earlier schedules projecting construction through 2026 and a target completion date in 2027.
Why it matters
University officials and design teams have framed the hall as a key piece of UST’s strategy to strengthen retention and day-to-day campus life as enrollment grows. The project is meant to help the university house more students closer to the academic core and create a denser, livelier environment on campus. The Lawrence Group notes that the residence hall is intended to help move St. Thomas from a primarily commuter student body to a more residential university with a more active campus scene.
