The University of Georgia will build a new 565-bed residence hall for first-year students to address student housing capacity needs associated with recent enrollment increases and to support future growth.

The new residence hall, which was approved Tuesday by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, will be located on South Lumpkin Street near the intersection of West Wray Street. The proposal approved by the board also includes plans to construct a new dining, learning and wellness center at the intersection of University Court and East Cloverhurst Avenue.

A separate proposal that would add a new parking deck adjacent to the existing West Campus Parking Deck south of Brumby Hall is currently under consideration.

“We know that living on campus is critical for first-year students to help them engage with the campus community and to benefit fully from all that the university offers,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I am grateful for the Board of Regents’ support of our efforts to continue enhancing UGA’s world-class learning environment for these exceptional students.”

The residence hall will be constructed on a site that is now a surface parking lot. The 125,000 square foot, 565-bed facility will accommodate recent growth in UGA’s first-year class, which increased from fewer than 5,500 students in fall 2019 to more than 6,250 students in fall 2022. All first-year students at the University of Georgia are required to live on campus.

The dining, learning and wellness center will provide approximately 68,000 square feet dedicated to academic and student-focused services. Voluntary meal plans reached an all-time high of more than 13,000 in fall 2023, and this facility will help offset strain placed on other dining locations.

The first two floors of the facility will consist of a dining commons with approximately 800 seats. The facility’s third floor will contain six to eight active learning classrooms, a University Health Center ancillary clinic for medical and mental health services and a space for nutrition counseling. The proposed classrooms also will provide evening-hours meeting space for student organizations.

The current plan is for design of the residence hall to begin this summer so that construction may begin in summer 2024. The residence hall and the dining, learning and wellness center will be open to students in fall 2026 under the proposal.

“The University of Georgia has always been committed to providing the best learning experience, and our high rankings in student and campus life illustrate that we’re fulfilling that commitment,” said Victor K. Wilson, UGA’s vice president for student affairs. “Our residence halls are a key part of the student experience and making UGA a home for our students.”

The new parking deck adjacent to the West Campus Parking Deck would add approximately 1,100 parking spaces, which would more than offset lots used for other construction projects while providing additional parking capacity to meet current and future demands. If approved, plans call for the parking deck to open in fall 2025.