The Argos Center will have a new look in a few years.

USF approved a five-year redevelopment plan that would demolish Kosove Apartments, Beta Hall and Betty Castor Hall at a Tuesday Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting. 

These 1960s dorms will be replaced by around nine new five to six-story dorm buildings to increase capacity and modernize the center.

“It’s, candidly, just not reflective of who we are anymore,” BOT Vice Chair Michael Griffin said of USF’s oldest dorms.

The new dorms, along with an additional dining hall and community building, will be located behind Holly Apartments from the Marshall Student Center to Genshaft Drive. This is where the original three dorms are located.

Construction on the area is projected to begin in 2025. The first new building is expected to open in 2027 and the project will be completed by 2029. 

The Argos redevelopment will replace 912 beds with around 2,100 new beds to meet the demand for on-campus housing. 

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The proposal, presented by Ana Hernandez, Housing and Residential Education associate vice president, said the redevelopment will “design cutting edge spaces that meet the needs of future students” with an anticipated budget of $250 million.

“Our desire is to deliver showcase facilities with a modern design and vibrant community gathering space to support student success,” Hernandez said at the BOT meeting.

She said the project was driven by a goal to provide “attractive and affordable” housing options and to “showcase residential community” near the new on-campus stadium.

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Brailsford and Dunlavey Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based consulting company, analyzed the demand for housing and identified an unmet need of over 2,000 apartment and suite-style beds. 

First-year students have a high demand for semi-suite style and apartment-style dorms, based on the analysis. This demand decreases over students’ sophomore through senior years, but the demand for apartment-style dorms remains the highest.

Hernandez said the predominantly traditional-style beds in the current Argos area will be replaced by apartment-style beds to meet the demand. This plan comes just weeks after USF said freshmen will not be allowed to live in apartment-style dorms.

Related: USF apartment-style dorms will not be available to first-time-in-college students

The plan projected a 1,266 shortfall of on-campus housing in fall of 2027. Over 8,800 students applied for housing in fall of 2023, exceeding the capacity of 6,488.

The proposal also addressed USF’s new AAU membership, stating that 74% of AAU institutions have over 50% of their undergraduate students living in university housing. 

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USF currently has 18% living on-campus. The Argos Redevelopment will increase the on-campus undergraduate residents by 3%, according to the proposal.

“Student housing is a strategic priority for USF aligning with both our student success and responsible fiscal stewardship goals,” Hernandez said.