Morehouse, Spelman to break ground on $147 million student housing development

A nearly $147 million student housing development serving Morehouse and Spelman colleges was set for groundbreaking Thursday, promising hundreds of new beds near the two historically Black institutions.

The Den at Eight50 West, a 793-bed apartment-style complex planned across from Morehouse’s B.T. Harvey Stadium, is expected to open in fall 2028.

The 360,000-square-foot development is intended to address growing demand for student housing near the Atlanta University Center.

Spelman President Ayanna Howard, Morehouse President F. DuBois Bowman and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens were scheduled to join developers and construction representatives at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning.

The new development comes as historically Black colleges and universities across the country grapple with the challenges of growth.

Over the past five years, many HBCUs have experienced record enrollment, increased philanthropic support and greater national visibility. But that momentum has also brought challenges, including housing shortages, rising operating costs, aging campus facilities and growing demand for student financial assistance.

Spelman and Morehouse, which together enroll about 5,000 students, are navigating some of those same pressures.

Currently, about 60% of Spelman students live on campus, according to college President Howard.

The Den will offer upperclassmenanother housing option, allowing them to live independently while remaining close to classes and campus activities.

“This is really addressing (juniors’ and seniors’) needs of not having to drive into campus,” Howard said. “It allows students to participate in the community, participate in the activities, while still being off campus.”

Separately, Spelman plans to replace Dorothy Shepard Manley and Howard-Harreld halls with a new first-year residence hall for the fall 2028 semester.

At that time, the college expects all student housing to have air conditioning.

In 2025, Morehouse broke ground for a new dorm as part of its Campus of the Future Capital Campaign, in an effort to modernize living conditions on campus. The residence hall will have 324 beds, a technology room, lounge area and welcome center.

Scheduled to open in fall 2028, The Den will feature 305 apartments: 31 studios, 28 one-bedroom units, 125 two-bedroom units and 121 four-bedroom units, according to Anne Tait, the project’s manager, and Yanitza Brongers-Marrero, housing practice leader at architecture firm Moody Nolan.

Each bedroom will have a private bathroom, and every apartment will include a washer and dryer.

The complex will also feature a fitness center, study lounges, a dog park, a courtyard and gated parking.

The multimillion dollar project is a partnership between Radnor Property Group, a private development firm, and Madrone Community Development Foundation, a nonprofit that invests in educational institutions.

Clark Construction Group and C.D. Moody Construction Co. are serving as general contractors.

In January, the Development Authority of Fulton County unanimously approved $146.45 million in revenue bonds to help finance the development.

“The institutions are private, but the benefits of strengthening their educational mission extend throughout Fulton County,” said Kwanza Hall, chairman of the Development Authority of Fulton County.

Amelie Yeager, Radnor Property Group’s marketing and proposal manager, said the partnership between the two colleges makes the development unusual.

“This project is really unique. It’s not common that universities or colleges partner together for their public-private partnerships,” she said.

According to Blair Tavenner, the chief operating officer of Madrone, the land is owned by West End Avenue PC3, LLC, a business venture shared between Spelman and Morehouse colleges.

The completed building will be owned by Madrone-MS Student Housing 1, LLC, an affiliate of Madrone Community Development. The structure is under a 50-year lease before it becomes Spelman and Morehouse property.

When the structure is completed and ready for use, there will be an advisory committee to run the property and a management company to collect payments.

For C. David Moody Jr., president and CEO of C.D. Moody Construction Company, helping build the new student housing development is a full-circle moment.

When Moody arrived at Morehouse as a freshman in 1974, his dormitory had no air conditioning. He remembers walking with classmates to a nearby mall to buy fans for their windows.

His family’s connection to the Atlanta University Center continued through the next generation. His son graduated from Morehouse in 2007, and his daughter graduated from Spelman in 2009.