JLL advised Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) and the Purdue Fort Wayne Foundation on the feasibility and strategy for finding a private-sector partner to develop a new 600-bed student housing project on the PFW’s North Campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
PFW is the largest public university in northeast Indiana. Located on nearly 600 acres in the second largest city in the state, it offers a traditional campus experience within a thriving metropolitan setting. The growing university is building the new, state-of-the-art student housing project to serve upperclassman, graduate and international students on 18 acres of land owned by the PFW Foundation.
JLL performed front-end financial feasibility work to assess the viability of a new student housing project and developed and marketed the opportunity with the goal of identifying a private partner to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new housing project. JLL then assisted the university and foundation in the evaluation of the offers and negotiated the agreements governing the transaction.
The university selected Gilbane Development Company to develop and manage the project, which will be delivered by the start of the fall 2026 semester. Designed by Progressive AE, the project will include modern amenities, including 176 fully furnished units, study areas, a reception area and entrance lounge, gaming room, leasing office, floor lounge, multipurpose room, grab-and-go convenience store and a fitness center. The outdoor space will feature grilling and fire pits, along with an area for sand volleyball and a basketball court. The university will provide a shuttle to and from its Main Campus.
In addition to enhancing the student living experience, the project emphasizes sustainability, incorporating energy-efficient appliances, lighting, water conservation measures, native landscaping, stormwater treatment, and construction waste management strategies.
The complex, which has been designed to have minimal impact on the neighborhood, will include a generous public drop-off area for campus shuttles and rideshares, as well as strategic parking placement with over 450 spaces to complement multiple pedestrian connections.