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Trace Housing Project

Chancellor

October 29, 2024

Building for the future.

  • The university broke ground on Trace, the new student housing building, on October 29.
  • The new complex will feature a convenience store, fitness center, gaming room, quiet study spaces, lounges, and more.
Trace groundbreaking ceremony.

Bulldozing ahead.

See a recap video of the groundbreaking for Trace.
Turning over shovels of dirt
Krissy Surface at the groundbreaking for Trace.
Construction helmet on a shovel with a backhoe in the background
Construction crew at the groundbreaking
Chancellor at the groundbreaking for Trace.
Trace groundbreaking crowd.
Small dessert cups with shovel spoons
Food table at the Trace groundbreaking.

The first look.

Check out an exterior animation of the new student housing building near Ginsberg Hall.

June 3, 2024

More housing. More students. More opportunities.

As part of Purdue Fort Wayne’s continuing effort to offer a robust campus for our Mastodons, we are pleased to announce the construction of a new student housing complex, which will provide hundreds of more beds, and a variety of amenities, for students. Just under half the beds will be reserved for students contracting with the university for housing. The remaining beds will be available to other students to lease with the complex directly.

In addition, it is anticipated that this complex will have a ripple effect throughout the community. As Chancellor Ron Elsenbaumer said, “The university is focused on bringing more people to the area to help fill the employee pipeline. Student housing is a necessary component of that strategy.”

This $90–$100 million development—expected to break ground in October (and to be completed in fall 2026)—will be located on 18 acres of land on the university’s North Campus, just east of PFW’s Ginsberg Hall. Here are some of the details:

  • A four-story building (213,000 square feet)
  • 176 units, 600 beds
  • A generous public drop-off area for campus shuttles and rideshares
  • Strategic parking placement with over 450 spaces to complement multiple pedestrian connection access locations

Sustainability is an important concept in such a large project. Here are some of the ways it will be emphasized:

  • Incorporation of energy-efficient appliances and lighting
  • Focus on water-conservation measures
  • Native landscaping
  • Stormwater treatment
  • Construction waste-management strategies

There will be plenty of amenities to choose from:

  • Convenience store
  • Fitness center
  • Gaming room
  • Quiet study space
  • Lounges and multipurpose spaces
  • Outdoor hammock farm
  • Numerous green spaces
  • Sand volleyball court
  • Basketball court
  • Grilling areas
  • Fire pits

We’ve teamed up with the following dedicated partners:

  • Gilbane Development Company, developer
  • Gilbane Building Company, construction manager
  • AVB, design-builder
  • Progressive AE, architect 
Student housing rendering, ground level Student housing rendering, ground level Student housing rendering, aerial view A rendering of the activities area, including the sand volleyball court.
One of the planned pedestrian connections is visible in this ground-level rendering of the student housing complex on Purdue Fort Wayne’s North Campus.
A ground-level rendering of the student housing complex’s public drop-off area near a main entrance that faces Ginsberg Hall on Purdue Fort Wayne’s North Campus.
A rendering of the aerial view of the complex includes a glimpse of Ginsberg Hall on the university’s North Campus and St. Joe Place Apartments, which are located just beyond the property line.
A rendering of the activities area, including the sand volleyball court.