Notre Dame Will Construct Two New Residence Halls
The university plans to decommission aging facilities and replace them with new four-story housing by fall 2029.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Higher Education
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The University of Notre Dame will construct two new undergraduate residence halls on the north side of campus to meet housing demands. This project involves decommissioning Keenan and Stanford Halls and retiring Haggar Hall as an academic building to create space for the new facilities.
Why it matters
Existing campus facilities have reached a point where they can no longer support necessary structural updates or extensive renovations. By building new halls, the university aims to maintain its capacity to support the undergraduate residency requirement established in 2017.
Each new building will house 236 students across four stories. The north hall will measure 72,915 square feet, while the south hall will span 75,167 square feet.
The players
University of Notre Dame
This private Catholic research university is located in South Bend, Indiana, and is known for its historic campus and residential college system.
Keenan Hall
This existing undergraduate residence hall on the university campus is slated for decommissioning as part of the new housing initiative.
Stanford Hall
This current residence hall serves as an undergraduate living space and will be decommissioned along with the neighboring facility.
The details
Residents from Keenan and Stanford Halls will transition to temporary swing halls while the new structures are built. Haggar Hall will be retired from its current use as an academic building to clear land for the new northern campus residential development.
Timeline
In 2017, the university implemented a six-semester residency requirement for undergraduates.
Construction begins following the conclusion of the current academic year.
In August 2027, residents from Keenan and Stanford Halls will move into temporary swing housing.
The new residence halls are scheduled to open in the fall of 2029.
Roadmap
This project reflects the ongoing campus-wide effort to modernize facilities that can no longer support structural retrofitting. By replacing aging halls, the university ensures its infrastructure remains aligned with long-term undergraduate residency mandates.
Undergraduates should prepare for significant transitions in their living arrangements starting in 2027 as the campus undergoes this multi-year construction process. Students currently residing in affected halls will need to coordinate with university housing to manage their upcoming move to temporary facilities.
The takeaway
Large-scale campus construction projects often require years of logistical planning and temporary displacement for students. Staying informed on university development timelines is essential for those living in or near affected residence halls.
What happens next
Residents of Keenan and Stanford Halls will officially relocate to designated swing halls in August 2027, ahead of the projected opening of the new residence buildings in fall 2029.
Further reading
For more context on campus developments in the area, visit our Higher Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Notre Dame News.
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