Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions Celebrates Topping Out Milestone for UT Austin Student Housing Project

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, in partnership with The University of Texas at Austin and the 2033 Higher Education Development Foundation, proudly announces the successful “topping out” of the university’s new student housing facility on Whitis Avenue. This milestone marks the completion of the building’s structural framework, a significant step toward delivering more than 1,000 beds for UT Austin undergraduate students by fall 2027.

The event, celebrated the placement of the final precast concrete piece on October 10, 2025. The first panel was installed on May 15, 2025, and in less than five months, the project team completed the 215,000-square-foot structure using an innovative precast concrete delivery method. This approach was selected to address site constraints and preserve three heritage live oak trees, underscoring the team’s commitment campus stewardship.

The structure is composed of more than 1,200 precast panels weighing a combined 43 million pounds, with nearly 600,000 thin bricks pre-installed. The heaviest panel weighed 77,000 pounds, and if the floor slabs were placed end-to-end, they would span 3.5 miles. This rapid, efficient construction method allowed the team to reach this milestone in record time while upholding quality and safety standards. Tindall served as the precast concrete supplier, and Andres was the contractor.

“This milestone reflects the incredible collaboration and ingenuity of our partners,” said Jeffrey Tate, vice president, Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions. “By leveraging innovative construction methods and working closely with UT Austin, we’ve delivered a structure that not only meets the University’s needs but also respects the campus environment. We are proud to play a role in creating a modern living environment that will enhance the student experience for generations to come.”

“We are pleased to be one step closer to completing the undergraduate student housing project on Whitis Avenue,” said Dan Allen, associate vice president for finance and executive director for Real Estate Planning & Strategy, UT. “This furthers UT’s commitment to providing quality, on-campus housing and an exceptional student experience.”

The new residence hall is scheduled to open in fall 2027, offering a mix of single and double rooms, community spaces, and amenities designed to foster academic success and campus engagement.

About Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions
Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, LLC provides development, asset/property management, and other real estate services to higher education with a focus on public-private partnerships that underpin the strategic vision of an institution. The company offers public-private partnership (P3) solutions for funding and delivery of capital plans, including residential, academic, administrative, and faculty offices, research, athletic/recreation, student centers, dining, parking, and infrastructure.

Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions is part of Balfour Beatty Investments, a global company focused on financing and operating the vital assets that enable societies and economies to grow: roads and railways, health and education facilities, power and water systems, places to live, and places to work—the infrastructure that underpins progress. Balfour Beatty Investments is a division of Balfour Beatty plc, a UK-based international infrastructure group operating in construction services, support services, and infrastructure investments.