At the beginning of the semester, Chancellor J. Keith Motley released a statement directed at University of Massachusetts Boston students confirming UMass Boston’s plans to construct a residential area on campus, to be completed and ready for use in the fall of 2018.
For UMass Boston, this could mean a drastic change in how the university is seen. It will offer on-campus housing for the very first time, thus becoming a 24/7 campus.
On February 4th, the University of Massachusetts Building Authority (UMBA) Board of Trustees officially approved the proposals for new dorms. According to plans, the residence hall would cost around $120 million, funded by a “public-private partnership,” as mentioned in the press release. This proposal needed to be approved by Governor Charlie Baker beforehand as well.
Chancellor Motley further stated that after looking at eight proposals, the UMBA decided to work with the private development company Capstone Development Partners, LLC (CDP) to realize the project.
CDP specifically focuses their work on building student residence halls and includes sustainable design in their projects, according to their official website. It will be the first time since 2002 that the nationwide company will work on a project in New England. More specifically, it will be the first time ever to develop a dormitory in Massachusetts.
Additionally, Elkus Manfredi Architects, Stantec, and Shawmut Design and Construction will work together on the residence hall. Once the dormitory is completed, it will be operated by a non-profit management group. UMass Boston will be involved in student life at the residence hall.
This first residence hall will offer space for up to 1,000 students, but will be restricted to freshman and transfers. It is set to open in the fall semester of 2018, located at Mount Vernon Street near the Clark Athletic Center. The building will a dining hall to accompany the beds.
In his statement, Chancellor Motley called this project, “another significant step toward fulfilling the mission our founders laid out for UMass Boston more than 50 years ago: to offer our students the same opportunities as are available at the best private universities.”
Chancellor Motley explained this facility would not only benefit UMass Boston students, but also Boston residents as a whole. As students move to the dorms, more space is freed in Dorchester, where a large number of UMass Boston students already call home.