Under overcast skies, University of Nebraska Medical Center and community leaders broke ground Monday on a new on-campus student housing facility, fulfilling a longstanding request from its biomedical graduate and health profession students.
Construction work already has begun on the $66 million, 200,000-plus-square-foot residence hall that will accommodate approximately 300 UNMC students on the east edge of the Omaha campus. Occupancy of the six-story facility, to be located at 39th Street and Dewey Avenue, is expected in August 2026.
“The availability of safe, affordable housing for our students is important, especially those who come from out of state and are not familiar with the city,” said UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD. “Providing such housing is key to ensuring a seamless education for all students that enables them to thrive both academically and personally while at UNMC.”
The UNMC community was joined Monday by University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD. The former UNMC chancellor recalled the day five or six years ago when a small delegation of students stopped by his office to request on-campus housing. Fast forward to today, he said, as “we’re here to provide high-quality, affordable, safe housing in a wonderful environment for our students.”
Dr. Gold said the facility also will house UNMC students in the Scott Scholars, a program established by the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation to prepare high-achieving medical students to serve as health care professionals in Nebraska. “The connection, the intersection is they will be housed in a living, learning community in this beautiful facility that is about to be built,” Dr. Gold said.
Pranita Devaraju, fourth-year UNMC College of Medicine student and president of the UNMC Student Senate, applauded UNMC leaders for listening to students’ concerns. “This is really very near and dear for students,” Devaraju said. “Students have been asking for this for a very long time, and we’re excited to have more housing on campus.”
Also in attendance for the ceremonial groundbreaking: UNMC student representatives; numerous UNMC deans, directors and vice chancellors; Lisa Roskens, CEO of Burlington Capital, which is a consultant on the project; the UNMC facilities team; Phil Covington, EdD, associate vice chancellor for student success who has been instrumental throughout the planning of the project, including the 2022 student surveys to gauge interest; Curt Witzenburg, a principal at Holland Basham, who are architects on the project; and Dan Ridder, vice president at Hausmann Construction, the general contractor on the project.
The residential facility will include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units and a “grab-and-go” food option with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as first floor meeting and study spaces open to all UNMC students, including non-tenants.
