PSU announces plans for modern, accessible student housing on Portland’s Park Blocks

Portland State University announced today that it will build a new housing building on its downtown campus that will provide safe, affordable and accessible housing for 550 students in a project that is expected to open in fall, 2028.

The new building will feature room for 550 beds in units with private bathrooms in addition to classroom space, study lounges, a community kitchen and staff offices. Rooms in the building, which will reach six to seven stories, will enjoy views of the leafy Park Blocks.

"We know that students who live on campus do better in the classroom and this beautiful new housing complex will provide Portland State students a modern and accessible option for on-campus housing," said PSU President Ann Cudd. "As downtown Portland's anchor institution, PSU is continually investing in our central city. We believe that new affordable downtown housing for students on our beloved Park Blocks will only add to Portland's vibrancy."

To construct the new building, PSU will deconstruct two university housing buildings that fall short of providing optimal living conditions for students, including the Blackstone Building, which is in its last year of housing students due to ongoing problems with the aging building. The projected cost of the new building is $85 million. It will be funded with debt financing to be repaid from housing operations.

Careful deconstruction of Blackstone and Montgomery will start late in 2026. Construction of the new housing building that will unite both lots will follow. During deconstruction, PSU will recycle as many materials from the old buildings as possible and is committed to preserving the history of Blackstone and Montgomery by carrying forward themes of the buildings into the new development.

"We are excited to create purpose-built first year student housing at PSU," said Ashley Wendler, executive director of PSU University Housing and Residence Life. "This building will bring vibrancy to the park blocks and central campus, allowing students to quickly immerse themselves in life at PSU. A new modern building will provide students with privacy when they need it, and have substantial community space allowing students to engage socially and academically with their peers."

Proposed Development Timeline:
January, 2025 - PSU begins notice period for Blackstone deconstruction
Summer, 2025 - Blackstone vacates
Fall, 2025 - New building design development
Fall, 2026 - Blackstone and Montgomery deconstruction begins
Winter, 2027 - New building construction begins
Fall, 2028 - Students move into new housing building