U of Kansas Boosts Student Housing Capacity

By Adina Marcut

In a major boost for its housing capacity, the University of Kansas has opened the first of two new communities at its campus in Lawrence. 

Downs Hall, a 545-bed facility located at 1517 W. 18th Street, welcomed its first residents last month. In July 2018, Stouffer Place Apartments will add another 708 beds at 1835 Ousdahl Road. 

The two projects are essential components of the university’s multi-phase Central District expansion. Scheduled for completion next year, the project will be anchored by the 280,0000-square-foot Integrated Science Building.

CBG Building Co. served as contractor, and Treanor Architects oversaw design and construction.  Prescient provided a structural system that incorporates steel posts, panels and trusses custom-manufactured using the company’s proprietary software. The Central District residential communities are Prescient’s largest single-site project to date, as well as its first student housing development in the state, company officials said.

Downs Hall and the future Stouffer Place Apartments are located near a variety of retail, shopping, restaurant and entertainment venues such as Westside Community Garden, Observation Park, Gage Park, Mosaic Arena, Mattie Rhodes Center Art Gallery and Wendy’s.

“Student housing projects require efficiency and speed to move students in by move-in deadlines. Developers and general contractors face costly penalties if deadlines are not met,” Magued Eldaief, Prescient CEO, said in a statement. ”At Prescient, our state-of-the-art Digital Thread and custom manufacturing system provides cost-effective, precision-manufactured structures of institutional quality for colleges and universities in a fraction of the time and for far less money than traditional methods of construction. Our non-combustible solution is an added benefit in providing safer student housing.”

Image courtesy of Prescient