Students respond as SU phases out South Campus with upcoming dorms
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Syracuse University is experiencing “one of the most active construction periods in recent years,” with three new residence halls in progress and ongoing renovations across campus – all the while facing a budget deficit and declining enrollment.
As a core pillar of former Chancellor Kent Syverud’s Campus Framework to improve student living, the construction of new dormitories is part of a plan to eventually place every future sophomore on SU’s North Campus. In February, Vice President and Chief Campus Facilities Officer Pete Sala reiterated the plan to phase out South Campus.
For students who’ve lived on South Campus, SU’s plan has received a mixed response.
Jack Newcomb, a junior who lived on South Campus last year, said he enjoyed his time at the off-campus residence, taking advantage of the proximity to easy parking and access to a kitchen. However, he admitted living there can sometimes feel socially isolating.
“South just kind of seems like you’re put away from everything else,” Newcomb said. “Moving everything back to the main campus is a better strategy for the university.”
In a statement to The Daily Orange, a university spokesperson said the university’s housing strategy is part of a “deliberate, multi-year” effort to modernize campus living.
Nationwide, administrators in higher education face the challenge of convincing a declining prospective student population to choose their university. Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Brett Padgett said students today are attracted by “modern housing.”
“One of the most common pieces of feedback from our current students was the desire to have more modern living accommodations that […] support their ability to thrive inside and outside of the classroom,” Padgett said in a 2024 release. “The two new residence halls will offer all of that and more and serve Syracuse University students for decades to come.”
The projects include two new residence halls on Waverly and Comstock Avenue, along with new dormitories on 544 University Place. Each construction project has created extensive road closures and noise pollution on campus.
A 3-year housing review completed in 2024 found that most students wanted modern dorms located on SU’s North Campus, with easy access to campus facilities and buildings.
In 2021, SU’s Board of Trustees’ special committee proposed moving all student residences to main campus in a year-long report. The recommendation was based on findings that students of color were disproportionately relocated to South Campus. Many students came out in protest against the change.
As the idea only acted as a “discussion point” after the #NotAgainSU protests, the current construction of the new dorms acts as a larger push to remove South Campus in the future.
In order to build the new dorms, SU borrowed over $500 million from the Onondaga Civic Development Corporation, a benefits corporation which provides money for nonprofit projects, syracuse.com reported.
The projects are not a sudden or deliberate initiative, the spokesperson said, as the Campus Framework includes the three new residence halls in addition to a new Hilton Hotel on University Avenue.
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A key driver of the framework is a university commitment to house all first- and second-year students on North Campus, the spokesperson said, though 50% or about 2,500 second-year students currently live on South Campus.
The 544 University Place residence hall will stand six stories and house approximately 570 students. In addition, both Waverly and Comstock halls will be approximately ten stories high. Waverly will hold 719 beds, with Comstock holding 582.
The construction of Waverly and Comstock required demolitions of both Marion and Kimmel halls, as well as the Comstock Avenue garage.
While the 544 University Place residence hall will consist of classic dorms, the Waverly and Comstock dorms will also include suites, air conditioning and private bathrooms. Each student placed in the halls will have their own bedroom, according to the site’s signage.
All three residence halls are scheduled for completion in August 2027. However, Sala suggested a possible reassessment in 2027 for an earlier opening.
The now-demolished Comstock garage, which provided university parking for the northeast portion of campus, will not be replaced with any additional parking, making parking a new issue. Students must use existing lots and street parking to accommodate the new dorms.
“Multiple parking studies confirm the University has more than sufficient capacity to support students who wish to park on campus,” the spokesperson said.
In addition to parking restraints, dining options will also be limited. Although a new dining hall will open in the Waverly dorm, most food options being built will include “retail dining,” the signage said.
Ali Anderson, a junior who lived on South Campus her sophomore year, said the distance made getting to class difficult and struggled to connect with peers during group projects.
“I think you definitely had to make much more of an effort to have a good social life on South Campus,” Anderson said.
Both Newcomb and Anderson also said they both experienced safety incidents while living on South Campus. Newcomb reported a car break-in, while Anderson suffered an attempted apartment break-in.
“I definitely felt safer in my dorm than I did on South,” Anderson said. “At a dorm, you have to key in to get into the main door, scan your ID at security past a certain hour, and your dorm locks. On South, you’re open to the outdoors.”
All three residence halls mark the first opening of a built residence hall since Ernie Davis Hall opened in 2009. The construction projects can be viewed using an interactive map on SU’s website.
“This housing strategy is a cornerstone of the University’s enrollment and retention efforts, reflecting what today’s students expect and deserve from campus housing,” the spokesperson said.
