The University of Arizona is planning a major new student housing project at one of Tucson’s busiest intersections, a move university officials say will support student success but that some nearby residents worry could change the character of their neighborhood.
Late last month, the university released plans to build a 19-story residence hall on the site of the long-vacant Palm Shadow Apartments at the corner of Speedway Boulevard and Campbell Avenue. If approved and constructed on schedule, the new dormitory could open as early as the 2028 academic year.
The project would place a high-rise student housing tower directly across from Banner–University Medical Center Tucson and within walking distance of the main campus. University officials say the development is part of the school’s broader push to house more students on campus.
Sharon Milan, who has lived in the nearby Jefferson Park neighborhood with her husband for five decades, said the scale of the proposed building immediately stood out.
“That’s big! That’s really, really big,” Milan said.
Milan said she has watched the area change over the past 50 years as the university and nearby medical campus expanded.
“I don’t know how tall the hospital is, but that’s a big part of our scenery — it’s gotten really big over there,” she said. “And it gets closer and closer all the time.”
University of Arizona spokesperson Mitch Zak said the school recognizes the concerns of longtime residents and plans to remain in communication with neighbors throughout the development process.
“We do appreciate those perspectives,” Zak said. “As construction continues, and as we develop any properties, we want to stay connected with our neighbors,” he added.
The project is part of the university’s “Success for Every Student Initiative,” which aims to encourage more incoming freshmen to live on campus. Research from universities nationwide has shown that first-year students who live in campus housing often perform better academically and are more likely to complete their degrees.
“What we’ve discovered is that students who live on campus their first year have a much higher graduation rate, a 50% higher graduation rate,” Zak said.
According to university data, about 67% of the freshman class that entered in fall 2025 lived in campus housing. Officials say increasing that number could reduce pressure on nearby neighborhoods where single-family homes are sometimes converted into so-called “mini-dorms” for student renters.
Milan said she supports efforts to house more students on campus but worries the growing footprint of the university is blurring the line between campus and surrounding neighborhoods.
“One student one day said to me, ‘Well why do you live on campus if you don’t like the parties around here?’” Milan said. “And I was like, oh my gosh, I don’t live on campus! But for her, this felt like it was campus.”
University officials say they will continue gathering feedback from residents as planning for the project moves forward.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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