Construction is officially underway on a new student residence building at the University of Windsor.

During the official groundbreaking event on June 19, university President Robert Gordon said the project will enhance the student experience and address a critical need for housing in Windsor.

"The new student residence will be a beacon of inspiration for our future students in the years to come,” he said. “As a locally grounded, globally connected university community, we are also an institution for the Windsor-Essex region, meaning we have capacity to help transform the housing landscape in Windsor for a better future.”

The six-storey student residence will include 452 beds, including 68 barrier-free beds, distributed across 226 suites with shared bathrooms, and 12 private residence life suites.

At 150,000 square feet, the project has been designed to cater to the needs of students offering important amenities including six community lounges, a house lounge, shared laundry facility, and a 275-seat food hall.

The building is located on Sunset Avenue, between Wyandotte Street West and Union Street, and will be open for the fall 2025 semester.

The university has formed a public-private partnership with Tilbury Capital, a real estate investment and development company with a focus on purpose-built student accommodation, to deliver the project.

“As we put shovels in the ground, this marks the beginning of the excitement and impact that this transformative project will bring to the University, the region, and most notably future University of Windsor students for decades to come,” said Michael Kaye, partner at Tilbury Capital. "Creating a win-win outcome for all stakeholders has been immensely rewarding for our team and, as an alumnus, it has been extremely purposeful to have the opportunity to return to Windsor and collaborate on such a vital venture.”

Presently, the university accommodates students in three residence buildings— Alumni Hall, Cartier Hall and Laurier Hall. Each year, these buildings welcome between 150 to 350 students, in addition to the thousands residing in private, off-campus rental accommodations.