South Invests in Housing

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Posted on June 15, 2026 by Alumni

Alumni

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With the $40 million purchase in May of the Central House on Stadium apartment complex, South has nearly doubled the number of student housing beds in the past five years.

The complex, built in 2007 on University-owned land just south of Hancock Whitney Stadium, has been rechristened SouthPaw Village. It will bring the total number of beds available through USA Housing to approximately 4,000. In fall 2021, the total was 2,330.

Increased demand comes  from rising enrollment and students choosing to remain on campus after their initial year  for the convenience and sense of community that residential living provides.

“The number of students wanting to live on campus has significantly increased due to that positive first-year experience,” says Dr. Jeremy Sheffield, executive director at USA Housing.

The acquisition of SouthPaw Village is the second apartment complex purchased by the University in as many years. USA purchased Traditions at South on Old Shell Road, across from the Student Recreation Center, in 2024 and immediately began extensive renovations.

From 2021 to 2025, the University invested more than $12.4 million in housing improvements. That included new roofs and new climate-control systems, plus a lot of new furniture. Sheffield expects $30 million worth of additional upgrades in the next couple of years.

Residents apparently appreciate the makeovers. Surveys find student satisfaction with living on campus at an all-time high, Sheffield says. “And we outperform our peers in our region and on a national level.”  

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