On Tuesday morning, University of Arizona officials broke ground on a new on-campus housing complex named The Catalina.
The 9-story project, located on the corner of Speedway Boulevard and Campbell Avenue, will house more than 1,300 students. The dorm will assist with UA’s expectation for first-year, first-time, full-time students to live on campus starting this fall – unless they live within 30 miles of campus or are facing specific hardships.
UA President Suresh Garimella said the project will contribute to student success.
“We know from our own data that students who lived on campus for even a short time graduated at 50 percent higher rates than those who have never lived on campus,” Garimella said. “What better proof can you need than that to focus on housing and good housing as an option?”
Garimella said student input was also taken into consideration when designing the dorm.
“The students have spoken. They want a different kind of suite-type living,” he said. “They want different dining options, and we want to help them thrive in these new housing opportunities.”
The dorm was originally proposed to be 19 stories high with 1200 beds. Those plans were later revised, reducing the height of the building by 10 stories while adding 100 additional beds.
The Catalina is set to welcome its first residents in fall 2028.
