University of Waterloo set to build a new 500-bed residence

The University of Waterloo has announced it will be building a new 500-bed residence on their main campus.

The proposed building will add 500 beds and would be located between Parking Lot A and University Ave. Construction is expected to begin in July 2024 and be completed by fall 2026.

Glen Weppler, the director of housing at the University of Waterloo, said the project is still in the design and development phase. He said he did not have a firm figure of how much it would cost, but it would be more than the residence built in 2017.

“So we’re probably looking at double and maybe more than that from our building in 2017,” said Weppler. “That building had just over 500 beds and cost $50 million.”

The building team is working with an Indigenous-owned architecture company, Two Row, and the Office of Indigenous Relations at UW to prioritize Indigenous design principles. The new building will have a healing garden, along with gathering spaces and live-in Elders to meet with students.

“I’m very proud that the university is incorporating our commitment to reconciliation in the design of this new space,” said Vivek Goel, president, and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo, in a press release. “It’s vital to actively seek out opportunities to move forward together with Indigenous communities in every step we take as a university, and the spaces where our students will live is a good and important example of how we can do that.”

Next steps in the project include refining the design and funding plans over the next few months. The university will announce next formal stages of the project early next year.