New SFU building to contain 445 student beds and 160 kid daycare

New SFU Burnaby building to contain 445 student beds and childcare for 160 kids

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of SFU Burnaby's phase 3 student housing building. (PUBLIC Architecture/SFU)

Another major student housing building addition is proceeding at the Burnaby Mountain campus of Simon Fraser University (SFU).

Today, the Government of British Columbia confirmed over $132 million in funding towards the construction of a new mixed-use building with a substantial number of student housing beds and a significantly sized childcare facility.

The entire project will cost about $188 million, with the university contributing the remaining $55 million.

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A mass-timber, mixed-use eight-storey building will be constructed just north of the existing Pauline Jewett, Barbara Rae, and Shadbolt student residence buildings at the northwest corner of the academic campus.

SFU burnaby student housing building phase 3

Site of SFU Burnaby’s phase 3 student housing building. (Google Maps)

There will be a total of 445 beds for students in a mix of self-contained studio and quad units, as well as townhouses in two-bedroom or four-bedroom configurations. All of these beds will be dedicated to upper-year students.

Student residents will have access to shared study and amenity spaces, including lounges, laundry, and house kitchen areas.

“When students don’t have access to student housing they are forced into the local rental housing market with higher costs, increasing competition with other renters,” said Premier David Eby in a statement.

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of SFU Burnaby’s phase 3 student housing building. (PUBLIC Architecture/SFU)

Additionally, the building will contain a childcare facility with a capacity for 160 kids, including 36 spaces for infant toddlers and 124 spaces for kids from three to five years old. This is expected to provide welcome relief for SFU faculty, staff, and students who are parents of young children and are in need of such facilities near their work or studies.

This new building, designed by PUBLIC Architecture, is expected to reach completion and open by Fall 2027.

The project represents the third phase of SFU Burnaby’s multi-phased, multi-year strategy of significantly expanding its on-campus student housing options.

Since 2018, the university has built three new student housing buildings at the Burnaby campus, with the most recent project being the nearby 2023-built Courtyard student residence or the second phase, which generated 383 beds for first-year students. Over the past six years, a combined total of 941 new student housing beds have been built at the campus.

After the current third phase building project opens, SFU will have a total of 3,016 student housing beds at the Burnaby campus, providing the ability to house about 8% of the university’s student population.

Upon the completion of the fifth phase, which is the final phase, SFU will be able to offer on-campus student housing to 10% of its students.

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of SFU Burnaby’s phase 3 student housing building. (PUBLIC Architecture/SFU)

“We are grateful to the Province for its support and partnership with increasing student housing options at SFU,” said Dilson Rassier, provost and vice-president academic of SFU.

“Students who live on campus feel a greater sense of belonging, community and are more satisfied with their overall university experience. As we move forward with our residence and housing master plan, we look forward to expanding a diverse student community that encourages academic success, self-discovery and exploration.”

Post-secondary institutions across BC are currently experiencing a new purpose-built student housing building catalyzed by over $2 billion in provincial funding. According to the provincial government, to date, about 8,700 student housing beds are complete or underway, approaching the goal of developing 12,000 on-campus student beds across BC.

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of SFU Burnaby’s phase 3 student housing building. (PUBLIC Architecture/SFU)

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