Law students will have designated on-campus housing beginning in 2028, according to a March 16 news release from the University.

The Texas Law Residence Hall’s planned 14 stories and over 210,000 square feet will house more than 300 law students, according to the release. The building will be located on the northwest corner of East Dean Keeton and Medical Arts, across the street from the law school. Groundbreaking will begin in March, and construction is slated to finish by August 2028, according to the release. 

The residence hall will be the first designated on-campus housing site for law students. Amenities will include a cafe, a gym, a reading room and two roof decks. The project is estimated to cost $86 million. 

First-year law students will be prioritized when assigning units, and remaining spots will be opened up for upper-level students, Texas Law dean Bobby Chesney wrote in an email statement. 

The new residence hall comes after the Texas Law Admissions office surveyed students and their housing choices. The hall aims to bring students closer to campus and offer affordable housing, as rates in Austin have risen, Chesney wrote. 

“It was clear that (housing) was a growing burden on our students,” Chesney wrote. “Some borrowed more to be able to stay close. Others chose to live far away to save money.” 

Alexis Molden, a first-year law student, said high housing rates pushed her to live in Cedar Park, which has created obstacles in commuting to school. She said the experience frequently made her late to 9 a.m. classes, despite her leaving for class an hour and a half ahead of time.

“It’s essentially a whole mess,” Molden said. “It influenced even my educational experience at the law school, strictly because of my housing situation.”

Molden is not the only student. According to a Texas Law housing guide, 25% of students commute by driving and 15% commute via public transit. 

Texas Law will discourage first-year law students from bringing a car. For students who want to bring a car, Texas Law will have a parking arrangement at the San Jacinto garage, Chesney wrote.

Peter Campbell, another first-year law student, lives in University Park, a cluster of apartment complexes in the Hancock neighborhood. He said the roughly 10-minute walk from University Park to the law school makes it convenient for him, but that his housing costs are high. According to the Texas Law housing guide, the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Hancock is $1,700.

“I feel pretty ripped off from living there,” Campbell said. 

Chesney wrote that the residence hall was designed in a way that will allow Texas Law to “deliver a compelling value.” Rent will include utilities, Chesney wrote. 

Campbell said he chose Texas Law because it was more affordable compared to other schools. He said he thinks the residence hall can benefit students. 

“I feel like more housing is always good,” Campbell said.