Higher Education & Student Housing

Picture of the Washington University Danforth Campus building with purple sunset and clouds.

The Day the Cloud Lifted

A breakthrough project with Washington University turned years of closed doors into lasting trust, reshaping Clayco’s path and forging a meaningful partnership with Dick Roloff.

Modern learning takes shape at STLCC Meramec as Clayco delivers new facilities designed to support workforce development, innovation, and student success.

Creating a Future Ready Campus at St. Louis Community College

Clayco partners with STLCC, Arcturis, and S. M. Wilson to deliver new state-of-the-art facilities at the Meramec campus, supporting workforce development, innovation, and modern student learning.

Celebrating Community and Art at Chapter at Madison's Ribbon Cutting

CRG recently hosted theirs for the Chapter at Madison, a 10-story development near the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Enhancing Campus & Community Living with The Dean

The Dean is a 426,464-square-foot student housing high-rise development in Reno that features state-of-the-art amenities. Residents will find that the 12 stories of the building have something to offer for everyone, including a fitness center, game and club lounge, BBQ grills, fire pits, both group and individual study lounge spaces, as well as a rooftop terrace with a pool and incredible views of the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains.

Honored to Speak at Missouri S&T Commencement Ceremony

It was an honor beyond words to speak at the Missouri University of Science and Technology graduation ceremonies! Everyone looked awesome out there and should be amazed at their accomplishments.

Redefining Student Living with The Standard at Columbia

Our Clayco, CRG, and Lamar Johnson Collaborative teams used our integrated approach to build The Standard at Columbia.

Richard T. Ubben Basketball Complex Expansion

It’s time to get our heads in the game and inspire the next generation of athletes! Clayco, Turner, and HNTB collaborated to revamp the Richard T. Ubben Basketball Complex at the University of Illinois. Our companies create structures that connect people with inviting aesthetics and enhanced functionality – something users of this facility will attest to. This project doubled the size of the existing building to 75,000 square feet to provide more space for players to refine their skillsets and drive the athletic program forward.

Chamberlain University – Phoenix

This exciting Arizona project isn't just about putting up buildings – it's about giving knowledge and potential a serious boost! Step into the dynamic world of education innovation with Clayco and Lamar Johnson Collaborative as we embark on a journey at Chamberlain University's vibrant campus in Phoenix. Education extends beyond books and classrooms. It involves creating a foundation for societies to thrive. Clayco and LJC’s collaboration continues to turn dreams into reality with the renovation of a two-story office building to create another state-of-the-art higher education nursing program for Adtalem Global Education in the Phoenix region. The new 45,000 square feet of space will include lecture classrooms, science classrooms, simulation exam rooms, nursing skills workshops, breakout study spaces, and a cafe and market.

November’s Subcontractor of the Month: Wies Drywall

Leading to serve others is something that Clayco and Wies Drywall have in common. That is why our partnership has been so successful across an array of national projects! Wies Drywall is an experienced construction specialist and commercial drywall contractor that has been serving its clients since 1971. Its main priority is to build walls and take care of people – just like Clayco! We work well together to solve problems creatively and turn ideas into innovation.

SIUE Health Sciences Complex Groundbreaking

Clayco is helping build a healthier campus at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville! Our team recently celebrated the groundbreaking of SIUE’s new health sciences complex, where we are working with Lamar Johnson Collaborative, along with PoetkkerJV and Christner Inc., to develop the facility.

Groundbreaking at St. Louis Community College

We’re breaking ground and helping pave the way toward higher education! Construction began on September 8th on the Center for Emerging Technologies and the Financial Services & Enrollment Center at St. Louis Community College’s Meramec campus. This groundbreaking is part of six new buildings planned across STLCC’s four main campuses as part of a facilities update.

Steven S. Wymer Hall

Clayco was built on the foundation of being a culture that inspires – whether within the walls of our organization or across the communities where we live and operate. We continue to build on this foundation with each new project, like the 100,000-square-foot Steven S. Wymer Hall at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign! This center is the eighth project our team has built on the university’s campus and our fifth as a JV with Turner. LMN Architects and Booth Hansen Architects are the architecture firms for this project. Our companies share the values of building what matters and working to make a difference in the lives of people, customers, and communities everywhere.

SIUE’s New Health Sciences Building

Clayco and Lamar Johnson Collaborative are using our integrated approach to support higher education! Our teams are working on a joint venture with Poettker Construction and Christner Architects to develop the new Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s (SIUE) 176,000-square-foot health sciences building. The facility will accommodate the School of Pharmacy and the School of Nursing with ample space for offices, academic classrooms, labs, and more. The project will help students achieve the university’s vision of empowering individuals to reach their full potential through academia and innovative programs.

Adtalem Global Education Offices

Clayco’s partner company, CRG, renovated the former home of USA Today into a state-of-the-art healthcare education facility for Adtalem Global Education’s institution in Miramar, Florida. The development will include a campus for Chamberlain University and administrative offices for Adtalem’s Ross University School of Medicine, the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and the Medical Education Readiness Program. Chamberlain University has the largest nursing school in the country and educates and empowers diverse healthcare professionals to advance the health of people, families, communities, and nations. As the international demand for healthcare professionals continues to rise, the 56,000 square feet of added modern space with classrooms, science labs, simulation care centers, and more will train future professionals and benefit communities worldwide.

IDENTITY Eugene

The student community in Eugene, Oregon is receiving an incredible upgrade – thanks to Clayco’s partner company Lamar Johnson Collaborative! LJC is helping to create IDENTITY Eugene, a facility that offers college students a top-quality living experience by providing close proximity campus housing that is designed with balancing personal and academic growth in mind. The 12-story student apartment building features an abstract cloud formation that wraps around the entire facade and draws on the natural elements of the building’s context.

The Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center

The Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s 107,650-square-foot football facility adjoining the south end of the Irwin Indoor Practice Facility. It features expanded strength and conditioning and sports medicine space, player development areas, and other spaces for recruiting and prospect hosting. The Center also houses the Levenick Auditorium, a nutrition center, fueling stations, a grand lobby displaying Illinois’ football history, and a players' lounge complete with a game room and barber shop.

SCAD Forty Four

Clayco, the design team of Mackey Mitchell Architects and Lamar Johnson Collaborative have had the chance to work on many great projects with the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD). It’s been a great opportunity to work together to promote student life by increasing student capacity, adding amenities, and creating a dense urban campus – like with the SCAD Forty Four development! The 384,000-square-foot development will provide 1,000 new beds to meet the demand on campus for SCAD Atlanta’s growing student population. SCAD Forty Four is a two-tower mixed-use project that offers dining and fitness amenities, academic space, a parking garage, a campus store, a performance theater, and more.

Penn State East Halls Development

I’m excited that Clayco was selected along with DLA+ Architecture & Interior Design and Mackey Mitchell Architects (MMA) as part of the design-build team to transform a residence hall campus at Penn State University. East Halls is one of the largest residence hall construction projects undertaken by the university at a cost of $152 million – and I am proud that Clayco is a part of it! Our goal is to refresh the area and provide new state-of-the-art facilities with innovative spaces, views, and a transformed student-resident experience.

Supporting UChicago Obama Foundation Scholars

The Clayco family is humbled to continue our support to The University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars program with $200,000 on behalf of The Clayco Foundation. Our donation began in 2021 and will benefit the amazing scholars participating in the program until 2024. The program brings together an interdisciplinary group of students and empowers them with the knowledge, skills, networks, and perspectives they need to tackle obstacles and challenges in their communities. Clayco always strives to provide equal opportunity to people from all walks of life. Our foundation is happy to assist this incredible joint initiative of the Obama Foundation and three schools at the University of Chicago – the Booth School of Business, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, and the Harris School of Public Policy. The UChicago Obama Scholars will supplement their studies with innovative co-curricular programming, engaging with partners on Chicago’s South Side, and using their experiences to advance social change.

The Dean

Clayco continues to develop innovative projects for students across America, including The Dean student housing facility in Reno, Nevada! This 12-story and 426,464 square-foot high-rise building will feature 773 beds, incredible amenities, and even a rooftop podium pool across the street from the fast-growing University of Nevada. The property will be fully furnished and have catered spaces for students to study, play, and live – all with a beautiful view of the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountain range. The CRG Residential team scouted this project at the end of September 2020 and secured the opportunity within just 90 days of the first phone call. This is a testament to the hard work and diligence of our Clayco and CRG teams and the great subcontractors and collaborators who help make our developments top tier.

Clayco Takes on SCAD Indian Street Project

Clayco is taking on a 250,000-square-foot residence hall project in Savannah, Georgia! The site is close to several of Savannah College of Art and Design’s (SCAD) facilities which have a large student population with no nearby housing. Because of the location and lack of available living space, this project presents a unique opportunity to provide more housing for students and create a statement building that will be visible from the downtown area.

July's Architecture Educator of the month: Geoffrey Taylor

Designing for the next generation is an important trend in architecture and design. A forward-thinking architectural educator that I admire is Geoffrey Taylor, Dean of the School of Building Arts at The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). A Harvard and SCAD graduate, he is a Doctor of Design and a major contributor to Savannah's innovative design sector. Geoffrey believes that the responsibility of architects is to make good buildings that meet human needs while also addressing the impact of construction on the environment.

$100 Million Donation to Loyola University Chicago

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020, corporate America promised to become more inclusive. Faced with public demands for social justice reforms, companies vowed to improve racial and ethnic diversity within their workforces, among their leadership ranks, and on their boards. While there has been some movement during the last two years, progress overall has been slower than expected. Corporate America is still trying to figure out how to reach equitable diversity levels and make their companies more reflective of the nation’s changing demographics.

Topping Out The Standard at Columbia

I always love seeing the progress our teams are making on the ground, and I am excited that The Standard at Columbia in South Carolina is soon to be topped out! The 17-story, 443,000 square-foot housing tower downtown has taken a major step towards completion. The Standard will offer a mix of studio and one-to-five bedroom units and will be the only new high-rise in the market.

Our Crane at The Standard at Columbia

One of Clayco’s iconic cranes just went up at one of our project building sites, and every time it happens, I think it’s a reason to celebrate. To me, our cranes represent a lot of the hard work, determination, and bold commitment to progress that we bring to everything we build. They also represent who we are as a company and the spirit of innovation that always drives us to do our best work. These photos show the new crane that’s going to help us complete The Standard at Columbia, which will become a 17-story student housing tower in Columbia, South Carolina. They showcase some of the stunning views that residents will get to experience firsthand once it’s finished in Fall 2023. I always love seeing the progress our teams are making on the ground, but it never ceases to amaze me how much you can really take in from above.

Siebel Center for Design at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Of all the building projects we work on at Clayco, some of my favorites are the ones that we do for universities and higher education institutions, as they really make an impact on the lives of students and the next generation of leaders who will drive our future. We actually just completed construction on a great new project on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and it definitely fits into our mission to go “Beyond These Walls.”

Ride the Wave: Week 2 Update

We really hit the ground running again this week on the Ride the Wave tour, starting off with a stop on Monday at one of my favorite building sites on the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design. SCAD’s new project will feature a brand new residence hall for its students as well as a dining hall, dedicated academic spaces, an auditorium, a campus store, and a parking garage. I love getting to be a part of SCAD’s growth, and I know this project is going to be such an important resource for its community!

SCAD Spring Street

Working with the Savannah College of Art and Design is always rewarding because it is genuinely about combining the ART and SCIENCE of building. Even with the completion of SCAD Forty, there was still a need to meet the demand of SCAD Atlanta’s growing student population. That’s when discussions began to re-imagine an adjacent residence hall, Spring House. The design team of Mackey Mitchell Architects and our own Lamar Johnson Collaborative began working with SCAD in October 2018 and multiple options and iterations were studied before the current concept was selected.

Arts Initiative—Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Both in my personal engagements and at Clayco, I do what I can to support and promote the arts because I believe they are crucial to our success. One of the newest initiatives we are taking on through the Clayco Foundation is a Future Leaders Fellowship program. This program is in partnership with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, of which we are members. The Future Leaders Fellowship Program is focused on diversity and inclusion within opera and arts administration. This new program will create a hands-on experience for future arts leaders and administrators from backgrounds that are underrepresented, particularly those who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color).

SCAD Victory Village Project - Savannah, Georgia

During my recent Job Is The Boss Tour, I got to visit the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in Georgia, where our Victory Village project has just been completed. This was our fourth project with SCAD, which is one of my favorite organizations to partner with because the buildings service students who are learning about architecture, architectural history, furniture design, interior design, preservation design, and urban design. The Sail at Victory Village is a student housing project that includes two residence halls and a parking garage. In addition to the dormitory rooms, the buildings contain lounges, study rooms, art studios, laundry rooms, and management offices.

The Job Is The Boss 2020 Tour Final Week

Harbor Freight Tools Project in Joliet, Illinois Condor Project in Monee, Illinois

Progress on The Standard at Columbia

I have high hopes for our South Carolina high-rise project! Our Clayco, CRG and Lamar Johnson Collaborative teams are using our integrated approach to build The Standard at Columbia. The 17-story student housing tower will create a fresh experience for students downtown with 441,980 square feet of fully-furnished units, a podium-level rooftop pool, hot tub, grilling stations, jumbotron television, and other world-class amenities.

Penn State University West Campus Parking Garage and Infrastructure

Clayco and Lamar Johnson Collaborative are implementing our integrated approach to construct The Penn State University Park West Campus Parking Structure. This development will help accommodate growth in the area by adding approximately 1,380 to 1,670 parking spots. The project includes the extension of White Course Drive and a major roadway connection from West College Avenue to the parking structure, expanding the existing stormwater detention basin on West Campus, and more. Our LJC and Clayco teams collaborated closely with Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant, Transportation Services, and CATA teams to design the structure in the center of the West Campus.