New student housing, dining hall to expand ‘physical footprint’ of UW Tacoma
The University of Washington Tacoma’s newly approved housing and dining development will house about 500 students by late 2029, officials say.
The project that the university’s Board of Regents signed off on last week will also become home to its first “traditional” dining hall. The board’s approval of the new building is part of an ongoing effort to change UWT’s character from that of a commuter campus to a more residential one, according to a release from the university.
“As we move forward, we’re carefully considering how our university environment enhances the student experience,” UWT Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange said in the release. “This transformation will bring all students to the heart of campus, creating a stronger Tacoma Huskies community and a more vibrant downtown Tacoma.”
The board’s approval of the project allows the university to begin the process of soliciting proposals from developers. It’s part of UWT’s broader master plan, which includes plans to increase enrollment from its current level of about 5,000 up to 10,000, and expand its “physical footprint” in downtown Tacoma.
“Once complete, campus boundaries will extend from S. 17th Street to S. 21st Street, and from Pacific Avenue to Tacoma Avenue,” the release states.
Elizabeth Metcalf, UWT’s director of communications, told The News Tribune that the university does not yet have a projected cost for construction on the housing and dining project.
Once built, the new housing project would join UWT’s sole residence hall: the Court 17 Residence Hall that has 287 beds for students, Metcalf said.
