ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan plans to build Central Campus housing for 2,300 first year students and a dining facility on what is currently Elbel Field. The housing plan will be developed to align with the school’s carbon neutrality goals. A new residential hall is essential to meet growing demand for affordable, on-campus housing. This fall, more than 2,300 students were turned away from campus housing for lack of availability. The long overdue hall will be the first on-campus housing built specifically for first year students since the 60s.
The plan will relocate and upgrade The Michigan Marching Band practice facility from its current location at Elbel Field to the 6-acre South Fifth Avenue property that the university purchased in 2018. The new marching band facilities will be north-south oriented, consistent with Michigan Stadium.
A contracted architecture firm will present a schematic design for the housing, dining and marching band facilities to the university Board of Regents in February. They will also provide a construction schedule and budget for the overall project. The new residence hall is in addition to three new residence halls slated for North Campus by fall 2024, announced earlier this year.