University of Tennessee's dorm plan moves ahead, but not by the baseball stadium
One planned residence hall is being swapped for another as the University of Tennessee at Knoxville finalized its first public-private development agreement to make it easier and faster to build enough housing to keep up with enrollment growth.
The agreement to build two residence halls with private funds and management was approved by the UT Board of Trustees on Oct. 13.
The entities likely will build a third residence hall together. But, in a significant change from earlier versions of the agreement, the university has scrapped plans for that residence hall to be built next to Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Provident Group - UTK Properties, LLC will own and finance and RISE Development LLC will develop residence halls planned for Andy Holt Avenue and between Caledonia and Terrace Avenues. Those are slated to be completed simultaneously by fall 2025 and will house 1,920 students for a combined cost of $240.4 million.
That price tag is up from the $180 million estimate shared in May.
What's different about the partnership now is the third residence hall that could be built, to be approved by the board at a later date.
It had been announced in May that RISE would build a residence hall adjacent to Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
That dorm project has been tabled because of infrastructure complications and cost, a spokesperson said. The $129 million project had been intended for returning students and was slated to be completed by fall 2026. The indoor baseball facility at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is still in the plans.
Instead, UT will work with the private entities to build a 1,000-student residence hall at Lake Loudoun and Volunteer boulevards pending board approval. That dorm already is included in UT's Master Plan and is expected to be completed by August 2026. There's not a finalized cost estimate.
The State Building Commission will need to approve the final agreement between UT and the partners in December.
The university has 36,304 students on campus this semester, a record-breaking enrollment. This partnership aims to relieve some of the housing pressure that growth has created.
It's the first housing public-private partnership of its kind at a university in the state of Tennessee.
Who is developing, maintaining and leasing the University of Tennessee dormitories?
Provident Resources Group will own the project and finance it, but UT retains ownership of the land and will lease it to Provident.
RISE Development LLC will develop the property, oversee construction, manage the properties and maintain the facilities, including:
Custodial services and trash disposal
Facility maintenance
Hardscaping within the property's boundary
The campus will cover grounds services and landscaping, which will be done by the University of Tennessee Landscape Services Team. The university will also manage:
Residence life (marketing, assignments, billing, collections and programming)
Security
Information technology management
Construction will be completed by Atlanta-based Choate Construction and Knoxville-based Blaine Construction Corporation. Architecture and design will be done by Atlanta-based Niles Bolton Associates and Knoxville-based Cope Architecture.
UT will get final approval on design plans, but initial renderings already have been created for the first two residence halls.
How does the lease work for the University of Tennessee?
Provident Resources Group will own the project and finance it, but UT retains ownership of the land and will lease it to Provident.
The 40-year lease agreement can't be extended beyond 50 years. The university or an associated entity has the option to purchase the project outright after five years, but the price would have to equal the amount of long-term debt Provident will have in financing the project, along with management fees.
Will residence halls be different for Tennessee students?
Living in these dorms will be the same as any other on-campus residence at UT Knoxville.
Students will go through the regular housing selection and application process. They can choose to be placed in these dorms and will sign a university housing contract.
Rental fees will be set based on the debt owed for the project by Provident. The university will approve the fees.
What will happen to the parking lots displaced by these residence halls?
RISE will pay UT for taking approximately 310 spaces to build these residence halls.
The hall between Caledonia and Terrace Avenues will be built where there's currently a non-commuter lot.
What if there is a delay in the construction of these University of Tennessee dorms?
Temporary housing will be arranged by RISE if the projects aren't completed on time.
Students who have signed a contract will be obligated to pay unless the move-in delay is over two weeks. UT may decide to release students from rental obligations in that case.
The temporary housing will need to meet UT's approval in terms of quality and distance from the university.
This semester, UT signed a master lease with Lakemoor Station Apartments to house students for the next five years. It's located along Alcoa Highway and students have access to a campus shuttle.
About the University of Tennessee's new dorms
The seven-story Andy Holt Avenue residence hall will be 171,000 square feet and have 754 beds.
The eight-story Caledonia Avenue residence hall will be split into two buildings spanning 265,000 square feet with 1,166 student beds.
Both residence halls will house first- and second-year students with fully furnished one- and two-bedroom suite-style units with bathrooms and student lounges.
The dorm at Lake Loudoun and Volunteer boulevards will add around 1,000 beds.
CLARIFICATION: This report includes new information about the landscaping for the projects. RISE will handle hardscaping, and the University of Tennessee Landscape Services Team will handle landscaping and grounds services.
Keenan Thomas is a higher education reporter. Email keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com. Twitter @specialk2real.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: University of Tennessee will build new residence halls in Knoxville
