The University of Rhode Island will break ground Wednesday on a major new on-campus housing project designed to add more than 1,100 beds and reshape student life at its Kingston Campus.
URI President Marc Parlange and Gilbane Development Company President and CEO James Patchett will lead the Jan. 28 ceremony, joined by elected officials, university trustees, faculty, staff and students. The event begins at 11 a.m. at the Flagg Road Lot near the intersection of Flagg and Tootell roads.
The project, built through a public-private partnership between URI and Gilbane, includes two new undergraduate residence halls with apartment-style suites along Flagg Road on the northwest side of campus. Plans also call for the reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments complex for graduate students along Route 138.
University leaders say the expansion addresses growing demand for on-campus housing while modernizing living spaces for both undergraduate and graduate students. The initiative is aimed at improving access to high-quality housing and strengthening the overall campus experience.
The first new residence hall is expected to open in August 2027, with additional phases to follow.
Speakers at the groundbreaking will include URI Board of Trustees members Joseph Matthews and Cortney Nicolato and Vice President for Student Affairs Ellen Reynolds, along with state and local leaders.
URI officials say the added housing will support academic success, foster community and further position the university among top public institutions in New England.
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