The University of Washington Tacoma has received the green light from the UW Board of Regents to advance its student housing and dining development project to the request for proposals stage, allowing the campus to begin the formal process to solicit proposals from potential development partners.
The project, planned as a public-private partnership, was presented to the UW Board of Regents on Nov. 13. The board approved the site and property for development, authorized the university to solicit a developer through a formal proposal process and begin preconstruction design work.
With a targeted opening of late 2029, the project will create space for an additional 500 students to live on the UW Tacoma campus, increasing the number of residential students to approximately 15 percent of the overall student body.
The project also includes plans for UW Tacoma’s first traditional dining hall, a highly sought-after amenity that will offer students healthy, flexible meal options and a welcoming space to gather, connect and build community on campus.
The campus currently has only one residential apartment building, the Court 17 Residence Hall, which UW Tacoma Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange said limits the campus's ability to recruit students seeking more traditional amenities found at other institutions.
As UW Tacoma evolves from a primarily commuter campus to a more residential university, Lange said this transition will increase student involvement and support an “always open” campus environment.
"As we move forward, we’re carefully considering how our university environment enhances the student experience,” Lange said. “This transformation will bring all students to the heart of campus, creating a stronger Tacoma Huskies community and a more vibrant downtown Tacoma."