BATON ROUGE, LA – Louisiana State University, alongside RISE: A Real Estate Company, has officially broken ground on South Quad, LSU’s newest on-campus residence halls and the fourth phase of the Public-Private Partnership (P3) to transform on-campus housing. The $200 million development includes two amenity-rich residence halls that will be home to 1,266 incoming freshmen moving in Fall 2027.

Centrally located adjacent to the Business Education Complex off of South Quad Drive and steps from Tiger Stadium, the halls will serve students enrolled in the College of Engineering and the E.J. Ourso College of Business. With LSU’s enrollment continuing to grow (up nearly 4% last fall semester alone), South Quad will allow LSU to continue providing modern, on-campus housing that enriches the student living-learning experience.

“South Quad is a critical investment in LSU’s future,” said LSU System President Wade Rousse during the ceremony. “As more students choose LSU, these facilities ensure we are ready for them with the infrastructure that supports learning, engagement, and connection.”

The South Quad community joins its RISE P30-developed predecessors: Nicholson Gateway, Spruce Hall, Cedar Hall, and the Greenhouse District. “The real point is what these beds represent,” said Jeremy Doss, Senior Vice President at RISE. “This isn’t just housing, it’s the front door to the LSU experience.” South Quad emphasizes community living spaces, health and wellness, and incorporates iconic LSU architectural aesthetics and thoughtful interiors.

With amenities that include classroom space, fitness facility, food lockers, and new mobile dining options, this project meets the purpose of the LSU Residential Life program: immersion into communities and support of student development from the day students move in until the day they graduate. “We’re all about the living-learning environment,” said Pete Trentacoste, Executive Director of Residential Life. “It’s not just a cool place to live. It’s a community that helps students succeed.”

The new residence halls reflect the direction in which the university is headed. “We are experiencing historic interest from students who want to be part of the LSU story,” said Properties and Facilities Committee Chair Laurie Lipsey Aronson. “These new residence halls embody the momentum and growing national reputation of LSU.”

As construction continues on South Quad, we remain committed to developing residential communities that provide an extraordinary experience for all members of the LSU community.

Project partners include LSU Real Estate & Facilities Foundation, B&D/CSRS, The Lemoine Company, Niles Bolton Associates, and Stantec.

Sources: The Advocate, LSU.edu Photo: Eddy Perez