American Campus Communities and Northeastern University Break Ground on Next Phase of On-Campus Student Housing Development

New on-campus development advances sustainability, student housing capacity, and community integration in Boston

Boston, Massachusetts, Feb. 3, 2026 - American Campus Communities (ACC), a Blackstone Real Estate portfolio company and the nation's largest owner, manager and developer of high-quality student housing communities, together with Northeastern University, today announced the groundbreaking of a new on-campus student housing community in Boston that will deliver approximately 1,200 beds, opening in Fall 2028. Developed through ACC's American Campus Equity (ACE) platform, the project represents the largest on-campus equity development in the company's history and advances greater Boston's Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030 initiative.

In addition to residential units, the 23-story development will include complimentary shared learning spaces and wellness amenities purpose-built to help students flourish academically and personally. The design will span 11,000 square feet of publicly accessible community space, including a large second-level outdoor deck, and roughly 4,000 square feet of ground-level retail. These hallmarks are intended to promote student wellness, enliven the campus corridor and support an active, connected relationship between the university and the surrounding community.

"The scale and complexity of this project reflect the strength of our partnership with Northeastern and our ability to work collaboratively with the City of Boston to achieve stakeholder objectives," said James E. Wilhelm III, chief development officer, American Campus Communities. "On-campus housing is where many university students experience personal growth, develop community and achieve academic success. This project is designed to deliver a holistic experience for them while meeting the planning and sustainability objectives of a leading national university in Northeastern."

ACC and Northeastern will adhere to LEED Gold certification standards and will incorporate Passive House design principles. The all-electric facility will include energy-efficient building systems intended to reduce operational emissions while supporting indoor comfort and long-term energy efficiency and performance.

Located at 840 Columbus Ave. on the site of a parking lot owned by Northeastern, the building will be in convenient proximity to several of Northeastern University's newest academic facilities and within short walking distance to the Ruggles MBTA station, providing students with access to both a holistic campus experience and citywide exploration.

"Northeastern has built a new model of partnership between the university, the city, and private developers to create wins all around," said Kathy Spiegelman, Vice President and Chief of Planning, Real Estate & Facilities. "We are providing housing for our students, jobs for the community, and revenue for Boston. This groundbreaking is the culmination of many years of planning and kicks off an exciting new phase for the Northeastern community and our surrounding neighborhoods."

Housing a Changing City was introduced by the City of Boston in 2014 to plan for population growth, stabilize the housing market, and expand housing options across income levels and neighborhoods. The plan established citywide housing production goals, including workforce, senior, and student housing, with the aim of reducing pressure on existing residential stock and supporting long-term housing stability.

"Housing a Changing City set out to address the real pressures on Boston's housing market," added Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. "That work requires long-term planning and the willingness to rethink how we grow as a city, and seeing this project reach a groundbreaking moment at Northeastern reflects that approach in action. I'm proud of the progress we've made through this initiative and grateful to Northeastern University and American Campus Communities for moving forward with a development that anchors student life on campus while reinforcing the vitality of such a vibrant junction of our city."

Giovanni Cutaia, President of Blackstone Real Estate, said: "We are proud to support ACC and partner with Northeastern on this project, which brings critical new housing supply to the University. With 1,200 beds, this marks ACC's largest on-campus equity development to date and will provide an exceptional living experience to students for years to come."

Construction of Northeastern's newest student housing community is expected to generate more than 500 jobs, supporting a wide range of skilled trades and professional services throughout the development period. The project represents a significant investment in the local economy, creating sustained construction activity and contributing to economic momentum in the greater Boston area as work progresses.

For more information, please visit: https://housing.northeastern.edu/

Photo from left: David Manfredi, CEO and Principal, Elkus Manfredi Architects; Boston City Councilman Miniard Culpepper; Boston City Councilwoman Shanon Durkan; Kathy Spiegelman, VP/Chief Planning, Real Estate and Facilities; Joseph Aoun, President, Northeastern University; Boston Mayor Michelle Wu; Giovanni Cutaia, Blackstone Global Chief Operating Officer of Real Estate; James Wilhelm, Chief Development Officer EVP Public/Private Partnerships, American Campus Communities; John Tobin, Northeastern Vice President of City and Community Engagement

About American Campus Communities

American Campus Communities is the nation's largest developer, owner, and manager of premium student housing communities throughout the United States. With extensive experience in design, finance, development, construction management, and operational oversight, the company has facilitated over 115 public-private partnership (P3) transactions at 65 colleges and universities nationwide. Visit www.americancampus.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X to stay updated on the latest student housing news.

About Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university with an R1 Carnegie classification, and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Northeastern's personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our 14 campuses worldwide. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment