ALEXANDRIA, La. (WNTZ) – Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA) marked a major milestone this week with the groundbreaking of a new on-campus apartment complex, the first phase of its ambitious Campus Edge Project.

Developed in partnership with Durand Construction, LLC, the 176-unit residential community will provide modern housing options for students, faculty, and staff. University leaders said the project not only addresses an urgent housing shortage driven by record enrollment but also lays the foundation for future campus growth, including dining, retail, and entertainment developments.

“With LSUA’s record enrollment and as the fastest-growing four-year university in the state of Louisiana, additional residential housing has become crucial and desperately needed,” Chancellor Paul Coreil said. “This groundbreaking officially kicks off our long-awaited Campus Edge Project, a major step forward as LSUA continues to evolve into a major four-year university serving almost 8,000 students.”

The project uses a public-private partnership model, allowing LSUA to expand its footprint without direct financial expenditure. Leaders say the development will also generate local economic activity and enhance regional amenities, reinforcing the university’s commitment to building a vibrant community in central Louisiana.

LSU Interim President Matt Lee contrasted LSUA’s growth with national trends of shrinking enrollment and campus closures. “Students vote with their feet and parents vote with their pocketbooks—and they’re choosing LSUA because it delivers excellence,” Lee said. “LSUA is an outlier, and that’s a credit to its culture of excellence and strong community support.”

Abbey Bain, vice chancellor for student engagement, noted the project addresses years of unmet demand. “For the past five years, we have had a housing waitlist that reflects our tremendous growth and the strong demand for the LSUA experience,” Bain said. “This new campus edge development not only helps meet that need but sparks new energy and momentum around our university.”

Dallas Hixon, central Louisiana’s representative on the Louisiana Board of Regents, praised LSUA’s unprecedented 12 consecutive semesters of enrollment growth. “Few institutions nationwide can match this trajectory,” he said, crediting strong leadership, faculty dedication, and community support as key drivers.

State and local officials joined the groundbreaking ceremony, including representatives from the Governor’s Office, LSU System leadership, the Louisiana Board of Regents, members of the LSUA Foundation Board, and area elected leaders.

University officials emphasized that the project creates a ground-floor opportunity for developers to invest in a high-traffic corridor at the intersection of Highway 71 and Highway 3170. LSUA is seeking business partners to bring dining, retail, and entertainment options to the adjacent development zones, with direct access to more than 500 residents, 2,000 students, 300 employees, and 17,000 daily drivers.

“This is about more than housing,” Coreil said. “It’s about creating a dynamic destination at the heart of central Louisiana.”