Oakland University to Start Housing Complex Construction

ROCHESTER, Mich. — In April, the Oakland University Board of Trustees approved schematic designs of the new Southern Student Housing Complex project in Rochester. Construction is scheduled to be completed in August 2018, according to The Oakland Press.

Southfield, Mich.-based Neumann Smith Architecture is serving as the architect on the project, while locally based Frank Rewold and Son Inc. is serving as the construction manager.

The housing complex will address Oakland University’s demand for student housing, as overall student enrollment has grown, according to a statement. The university is also attracting students from a wider geographical area, with a significant population increase among Honors College students who receive scholarships that allow them to live on campus. When the 500-bed Oak View Hall, the most recent addition to the university’s student housing facilities, opened in 2014, it was filled to capacity less than 24 hours after the student-housing application process opened.

When completed, the facility will consist of roughly 750 beds reserved primarily for sophomore and junior students, and will include dining options and academic spaces. The 290,000-square-foot project will cost $78 million and is being designed to meet LEED Gold standards.

While the new project will help meet the school’s demand for student housing, it is also intended to enhance student retention and graduation rates. Studies have shown that students who live or spend more time on campus report a greater sense of community and become more engaged in academic, cultural and social engagement activities, according to a statement.

This is the latest project in Oakland University’s more than five-year, $200 million effort to improve campus facilities. Earlier projects included infrastructure upgrades, the addition of new housing facilities, and the construction of additional classroom and academic support space.