Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, architect Design Collective, and builders Balfour Beatty Construction and Smoot Construction, collaborated with BSU and Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) on the project.

Scheduled to open in the autumn next year, the 170,000 square foot development will provide 557 beds and amenities, including lounges, flexible classroom space, a fitness centre, laundry facilities, community kitchens and parking. Construction of the project commenced last month.

The development will also become the main hub for BSU’s entrepreneurship academy which helps students develop their own business opportunities and become innovative thinkers and problem-solvers for established companies. It will also house the Bowie Business Innovation Center (BIC), the first business accelerator located at a Maryland historically black university. Offices, multipurpose rooms, a maker space and conference rooms are included in the design to support both programmes.

Bob Shepko, president of Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, said: “Our partnership with BSU is a perfect example of the innovation that a PPP solution can bring to universities and their students. This partnership allows the university to support their growing student body with much-needed modern housing options and provides a dedicated place for the creative leaders of tomorrow to develop their knowledge and skills as they prepare to enter the business world upon graduation.”

MEDCO is the project’s residential facility owner through an issuance of project-based, tax-exempt debt financing. Upon completion, the housing community will be managed by the university.