WKU’s public-private housing partner would be a firm with roots in similar projects around the country, including projects WKU President Timothy Caboni admired, under a proposal Caboni will present to the Board of Regents next week.
Also at the Dec. 11 meeting, Caboni will recommend that WKU lease the Campus Flats apartment complex on Creason Street for at least two years while Hugh Poland and Douglas Keen halls are torn down and replaced with the first of several projects under the partnership.
The proposed partnership is with Gilbane, a Rhode Island-based international real estate developer, to “undertake financing, design, construction, management, and operations of a new housing development” at WKU, according to the Board of Regents meeting agenda. Gilbane will also be responsible for the renovation and operation of existing WKU housing.
The meeting’s 206-page agenda included Gilbane’s proposal to be WKU’s partner, and renderings for new student housing in Freshman Village and the Valley.
University Spokesperson Jace Lux said in an email to the Herald that “since the Board of Regents will not take action on either of these items until next Thursday, any statement prior to that time would be premature.”
“Phase 1” of the proposal is a new “state-of-the-art” first-year suite- and hotel-style residence hall to open in fall 2028. Phase 1 delivers more than 1,000 beds to Freshman Village.
“The proposed Phase 1 residence hall is envisioned as more than a place to sleep—it is a welcoming, inspiring environment that fosters belonging, collaboration, and academic achievement,” the proposal states.
“Phase 2” includes a residence hall where Pearce-Ford Tower sits and a hall in the Valley replacing McCormack, Gilbert, Hilltopper and Rodes Harlin halls. The phase, which is scheduled to start construction in 2028, is set to bring more than 1,400 beds.
A timeline in Gilbane’s proposal has Douglas-Keen Hall scheduled for demolition in fall 2026, followed by Hugh Poland Hall’s demolition in fall 2027. McCormack, Rodes Harlin and Gilbert halls are scheduled for demolition in fall 2028, and PFT and Minton halls in fall 2030.
A timeline in Gilbane’s proposal includes renovations to Meredith, Zacharias, Minton, Bates Runner, McLean, Munday, Southwest halls and the Kentucky Street apartments in phase 1.
The timeline also states that Center Hall, the previous Hyatt Place Hotel, which was converted into a dorm ahead of the fall 2025 semester, will be offline by fall 2028. The Student Life Foundation has a three-year lease with the Hyatt, with an option to buy after the lease.
Caboni has been outspoken about a desired public-private partnership to oversee WKU’s residence halls. He announced at a June 6 Board of Regents meeting that the Student Life Foundation, the owning body of WKU’s dorms, would work with consulting firm Brailsford and Dunleavy to find a public-private partner.
Gilbane has partnered with 400 higher education institutions over the past 10 years, according to its website. Gilbane has worked with Eastern Michigan University since summer 2023. Caboni said at the June 6 meeting that he specifically looked at EMU’s public-private partnership when considering how WKU should model its housing program.
According to the proposal, the first phase’s dorm will utilize “rates with a 5% premium (increase) to Center Hall’s current rates,” which are $4,418 per semester in the 2025-26 academic year, and a “5% post-renovation premium applied to renovated halls.”
The proposal also includes $26 million to “address immediate renovation needs and improve student experience campuswide.”
Jeanette Zalba, EMU director of housing and residence life, said in an October interview that a drawback of the model at EMU is that Gilbane can be “very sensitive to the dollar,” and sometimes she must “negotiate” for repairs.
Zalba also said the specifics of EMU’s contract with Gilbane are likely to be different from the specifics of other contracts at other universities.
Housing prices at EMU have generally increased 2%-5% every year to keep up with inflation and the economy, Zalba said. She said that after partnering with Gilbane, there was an initial 8%-10% cost increase.
Zalba said the rate of increase is expected to return to the typical 2%-5%.
Campus flats
Caboni is requesting a two-year lease of the Campus Flats apartments for “additional student housing” during the repairs of Normal and Regents halls, and the demolition of Douglas-Keen and Hugh Poland halls.
The lease would start on Aug. 1, 2026, and expire on July 31, 2028. WKU will have the option to extend the lease for up to three one-year terms.
According to the lease agreement in the Board of Regents agenda, the university would pay a “base monthly rent” of $140,000. WKU would also pay a security deposit of $280,000.
WKU will have an option to purchase Campus Flats for a price that will be “negotiated at a later date,” according to the lease.
