UMass Team Will Develop Plan to Modernize Campus Housing

The project team will work toward developing options for contemporary undergraduate, graduate and non-student housing that preserves affordability while adding community amenities

Source: UMass News and Media

The University of Massachusetts Amherst, in partnership with the University of Massachusetts Building Authority (UMBA), announced on May 7, that it has selected a development team led by American Campus Communities (ACC) to collaborate on a comprehensive, long-range, and phased plan to modernize campus housing while maintaining affordability and exploring non-residential amenities to enhance the campus experience.

The strategic planning process will focus on both the Amherst campus and the Charles River Campus in Newton. The project team envisions building new student housing to allow for the renovation or replacement of existing residence hall facilities in a multi-phase approach without the loss of current student housing capacity. The development team will also assist the university in evaluating non-student housing and non-residential amenities that have the potential to enhance student life, engage the community, and address campus infrastructure needs.

“We are excited for our community to begin working with our new partners on envisioning the near, mid- and long-term future of the flagship campus,” said UMass Chancellor Javier A. Reyes. “By focusing on how residential communities interact with and enhance academic, cultural, and recreational spaces, and aligning private partnership with investments in academic, research and athletic facilities, we can design a cohesive campus that maintains affordability, achieves sustainability goals, and promotes community wellbeing.”

Beginning summer and fall of 2026 and throughout the multi-phase design and development process, the university and ACC will provide opportunities for recurring input from students, faculty, governance groups, and other campus stakeholders. Over the summer, the project team will work with campus governance groups to coordinate opportunities for broader campus community input at the start of the fall semester. Planning efforts will also leverage recent student feedback and survey data collected as part of the university’s campus planning processes to date. Any projects that emerge will require approval through the university’s multi-step approval process, including the UMBA Board and the UMass Board of Trustees.

ACC is the nation’s largest developer, owner and manager of high-quality student housing opportunities. After initiating a request for proposals through UMBA last year, the campus worked with real estate advisory firm Newmark to manage the RFP process that led to the selection of ACC from a large pool of competitive responses. The development team also includes Elkus Manfredi Architects and Suffolk Construction. 

Currently, more than 60% of students live in 51 residence halls and apartment buildings on campus. Of the 209 ranked public universities, UMass Amherst is among the top five in the country for percentage of on-campus students.

“First-class facilities are needed to match the first-class quality and caliber of our students, faculty, staff and operations,” said Andy Mangels, vice chancellor for administration and finance. “This project will position UMass Amherst to continue to attract top talent through a phased campus development that emphasizes creativity and affordability.” 

The strategic planning process is informed by recent student housing market analyses, including student surveys and focus groups and aligns with the Healey-Driscoll administration’s statewide housing priorities. This effort is separate from the BRIGHT Act, which is navigating the state legislature and authorizes capital expenditures intended to upgrade campus infrastructure as well as support decarbonization efforts.

The public private partnership (P3) procurement that resulted in the selection of the ACC-led group is based on an approach previously used by UMass and UMBA, and by higher education institutions nationwide, to create the best results possible for the UMass Amherst campus, its students and the Amherst community while remaining prudent stewards of resources.