Morehouse and Spelman colleges have broken ground on a $147 million student housing development in Atlanta, expanding housing options for students at two of the nation’s most prominent historically Black colleges and universities, WSB-TV reports.
The institutions celebrated the project on Oct. 15 during a groundbreaking ceremony at the Atlanta University Center, the outlet reported. The development, called The Den at Eight50 West, will include 305 apartment-style units with 793 beds and is expected to welcome students in fall 2028.
Located along West End Avenue near Morehouse’s B.T. Harvey Stadium, the complex will feature studio, one-, two-, and four-bedroom apartments. Amenities will include study lounges, a fitness center, recreational spaces, and a 24-hour staffed lobby.
The project comes as rising housing costs continue to create financial challenges for college students. By expanding housing options near campus, the development aims to help upperclassmen remain connected to university resources while reducing the burden of finding accommodations in Atlanta’s increasingly expensive rental market.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens attended the groundbreaking ceremony, highlighting the importance of addressing housing affordability.
“The Den at 850 West will address a problem in Atlanta, and in most cities, that is, the cost of housing has gone up,” Dickens told WSB-TV.
The development also creates opportunities for Black-owned businesses—Morehouse alumnus C. David Moody Jr., founder of C.D. Moody Construction Co., is helping lead construction alongside Clark Construction Group. Black-owned architecture firm Moody Nolan is also involved.
Radnor Property Group and the Madrone Community Development Foundation are partnering on the development, which is being financed through approximately $147 million in bonds issued through the Development Authority of Fulton County.
Beyond providing additional student housing, the project is expected to generate economic activity in Atlanta’s historic West End neighborhood.
“We’re talking about economic development right here in the city,” Dickens told the outlet. “Using local workers and local equipment and continuing to recycle those dollars, right here in metro Atlanta.”
The complex is scheduled to open in fall 2028.
RELATED CONTENT: GLAAD’s ‘Generation Z & HIV: HBCU Tour’ Heads To Morehouse College
