This fall, TCU welcomed its largest incoming class for the second consecutive year, bringing overall enrollment above 13,000 for the first time in university history.
With this growth in the student body, students and staff have seen construction projects around campus as TCU works to accommodate the increasing number of students enrolling.
At the center of this growth is the Housing and Residence Life staff, who are managing an expansion more ambitious than any it has seen before. Craig Allen, executive director of Housing and Residence Life and Fraternity & Sorority Life, is one of the primary staff members managing the growth process.
Walsh Hall on TCU’s campus. (Jake Brannen/TCU 360)
“What Housing and Residence Life has had to do is figure out how to provide housing to as many students as possible without adding any beds,” Allen said.
Since 2019, the department has had to find creative solutions to house students wherever possible, including placing three students in a room or moving students to apartments and lofts surrounding campus. Adding Hill and Walsh halls helped create more space, but the expansion is far from over, Allen said.
A new wave of construction projects will provide additional housing for students. By August 2027, TCU plans to add 2,500 student beds. The Morado on Berry Street, a privately owned apartment complex being built to house TCU students, will have nearly 800 apartment-style beds.
Construction is underway on the Morado complex on Berry Street. (Jake Brannen/TCU 360)
In total, the projects will add nearly 3,300 beds. After speaking with colleagues at other universities, Allen said he believes the project is unprecedented in university housing.
“There has never been a project of this magnitude that we know of anywhere in the United States ever,” Allen said.
The construction of residence halls, apartments and privately owned complexes has been a team effort, and Housing and Residence Life staff members have had to communicate with various other entities to keep everything running smoothly.
“I’ve learned a lot more about engineering and architecture than I ever thought I would,” Allen said.
Allen has had to attend construction meetings, communicate with TCU staff about helping students navigate campus during road closures and plan staffing for the new buildings once they are finished.
As TCU continues to grow, Housing and Residence Life will continue working to accommodate the expanding student population.