Ole Avenue Project

BUILDING FOR A STRONGER FUTURE

A vibrant residential experience is a defining part of a St. Olaf education.
The Ole Avenue Project is a plan to build a new 300-bed residential hall on the south side of St. Olaf Avenue, as well as townhouse–style residences with 140 student beds to replace the honor houses on the northside of St. Olaf Avenue.

A Critical Investment In The Success Of Our Students.

The Ole Avenue Project is a new gateway to St. Olaf on the eastern edge of campus. This project will help St. Olaf address a three-decades-long housing shortage on campus – which has been made even more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic – and improve the residential experience for all students.

The Ole Avenue Project has been designed to meet the needs of students today and in the future. Traditional residence hall-style housing remains the most optimal for students’ mental health. The residence hall and townhouses will meet today’s standards for fire safety, accessibility, egress, indoor air quality, and other essentials, including allowing the college to have a more gender inclusive approach to housing students. Renovations to our existing residence halls will also reduce overcrowding and restore community spaces.

Living together in community lies at the core of the Ole experience. We are recognizing this by making a bold investment in the future of St. Olaf.

<$60 Million

Total Cost of The Project

300

Residence Hall Beds

140

Town House Beds

116

Square Feet Per Bed

Our live webcam displays progress on the signature on-campus housing project, thanks to a new collaborative partnership between the college’s Information Technology, Broadcast Media and Facilities departments.