New Student Housing Opens Through Purdue Research Foundation and American Campus Communities
August 6, 2025 – New five-story, 984-bed community in Discovery Park District at Purdue promotes student well-being through thoughtful design, vibrant shared space
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Research Foundation on Wednesday (Aug. 6) hosted a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of 3rd & West — Purdue University’s newest student housing complex developed by American Campus Communities.
Located at the intersection of Third Street and McCormick Road, the new housing complex is a five-story, 325,000-square-foot community designed to elevate the on-campus residential experience. The 984-bed development features a contemporary aesthetic with a prominent entry plaza for community gatherings, dual courtyards that encourage indoor-outdoor living and study lounges that anchor its form while serving as a visual landmark within the district.
The student community features studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and four-bedroom apartment configurations. Amenities include in-unit washers and dryers, a 24/7 fitness center, indoor and outdoor kitchens, social lounges, study lounges, and private study rooms. The first students will move into the new housing at the start of the fall 2025 semester.
“PRF has always considered the district an extension of Purdue’s West Lafayette location, and 3rd & West demonstrates the collaborative opportunities ahead,” said Chad Pittman, president and CEO of Purdue Research Foundation. “We are proud to be able to assist in meeting the university’s housing needs as top-tier students from around the world continue to make Purdue their academic institution of choice.”
The new residence hall is also aligned with the university’s strategic initiative to expand affordable, high-quality housing options on or near campus, ensuring more students can live within walking distance of academic and social resources.
“One of the key goals of Purdue’s education initiative is increasing student success and value by adding additional housing capacity,” said university President Mung Chiang. “We are working diligently to ensure there are high-quality on-campus living opportunities like 3rd & West available for undergraduate students at our West Lafayette location.”
A new residence hall with nearly 900 beds located south of Hillenbrand Hall is also set to open in 2026 to additionally increase the availability of affordable on-campus housing.
“Demand for a Purdue education — and therefore Purdue housing — is at an all-time high,” said Purdue University Provost Patrick Wolfe, who is also co-chair of the Action Council on Student Housing and Well-Being. “We are working on efforts to increase housing capacity using input from students and parents to ensure we are providing thoughtful, first-rate educational experiences for all students.”
The 3rd & West community was developed through a public-private partnership between PRF and ACC, a model that allows universities to expand and modernize student housing without incurring additional debt. The PRF-led project received approval from Purdue trustees in spring 2023, and by December 2023, trustees had executed a lease agreement for 3rd & West covering the 2025–26 and 2026–27 academic years to help accommodate growing student housing demand.
“Our partnership with PRF on 3rd & West reflects the true potential of public-private collaborations in higher education,” said James Wilhelm, chief development officer at American Campus Communities. “We’re proud to contribute to the ongoing transformation of the Discovery Park District by developing a community that enhances campus vibrancy, supports student well-being and helps Purdue meet the evolving needs of its expanding student population — including the growing demand for on-campus housing.”
The building’s design plays a central role in fostering student well-being and community connection with elements brought to life through a collaborative design process led by architecture, planning, interior and urban design firm SCB.
“In designing 3rd & West, we saw the opportunity to use architecture to create and shape a unique outdoor community space,” said Monica Willemsen, associate principal at SCB. “By anchoring the community’s main amenity spaces in the center, we created two distinct courtyards that offer students a place to unwind, connect and recharge. It’s these kinds of surprising, in-between places that help build character and a real sense of place in emerging districts like Discovery Park.”
For more information about ongoing projects in the Discovery Park District, visit discoveryparkdistrict.com.
ABOUT PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Established in 1930, the foundation accepts gifts; administers trusts; funds scholarships and grants; acquires and sells property; protects and licenses Purdue's intellectual property; and supports creating Purdue-connected startups on behalf of Purdue. The foundation operates Purdue Innovates, which includes the Office of Technology Commercialization and Incubator. The foundation manages Purdue Strategic Ventures, Purdue Research Park, Discovery Park District, Purdue Technology Centers and Purdue for Life Foundation.
For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. For more information about involvement and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact Purdue Innovates at purdueinnovates@prf.org.
ABOUT PURDUE UNIVERSITY
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
ABOUT SCB
SCB is an architecture, planning, interior and urban design firm. Founded in 1931, the firm is at the forefront of dense urban living, innovative workplaces, inspiring learning environments, resilient infrastructure, and vibrant communities. Through the collective impact of nearly a century of work, the firm has made an indelible mark on the contemporary landscape. For more information, visit www.scb.com.
