When the five-year plan to modernize USF’s Argos Center was announced, some Bulls were concerned they would have nowhere to go. 

However, the plan is to only demolish old buildings after a new one is finished and ready to house students, according to Andrew Johnson, a USF Housing spokesperson.

Argos Center includes the Kosove Apartments, Beta Hall and Betty Castor Hall dorms – all built in the 1960s. 

Construction is projected to start in late spring or summer 2025, Johnson said. 

The first building is planned to be ready in fall 2027, followed by the demolition of the oldest dorms on campus in the span of three years. 

“Our intent right now is to build and then tear down, so we will always build to an equivalent or higher number,” Johnson said. “If our plan indicates that we are able to build a five or six-story building on the Beta lawn, that may house 500 residents, we would build that and then look to take down a building.”

Related: USF to demolish oldest dorms to make way for new housing

Johnson said the construction will most likely begin on the lawn next to Beta Hall, and that students will be near ongoing construction but can still live in the residence hall. 

The three-year construction and demolition plan is similar to the construction of the residence halls in the Village, Johnson said. The first two halls in the Village – Summit and Beacon – opened in fall 2017. Endeavor, Horizon and Pinnacle opened in fall 2018. 

He said construction will kick off as soon as paperwork and negotiations are finalized and the Board of Governors approves it.

There is still no estimate of how long the construction of each new residence hall is going to take, but all buildings are expected to be ready to house students in fall 2029, Johnson said.

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The new residence halls will most likely be more costly than the current halls at the Argos center, Johnson said. The price increase is due to the cost of construction materials and the fact that these dorms will be the newest on campus, according to Johnson.

The dorms at Beta or Castor are the cheapest options available for students living on campus this year. The current rates for dorms in Beta and Castor range from $802 to $1,056 per month, and rates for Kosove apartments range from $1,084 to $1,214. 

“One of the things we try to work very hard on is being strong stewards of the financial resources we’re entrusted with,” he said. “We’re always looking to make sure that we get the best value for students’ dollars.”

Johnson said the feedback about students’ preferred styles of dorms brought up to housing through a survey last year was critical in moving the project forward. He said the plan is to incorporate students’ preferences into the project development process.

Questions in the survey ranged from what students would like to see change in housing in the future, their rent rates on campus compared to off campus and other details regarding their housing situation.

“We will continue to engage with students and different groups on campus as we select certain items such as furniture and how we use space and things like that,” he said.