Emory’s on-campus graduate student housing, known as “The Ridge,” broke ground in September 2022 and opened to residents in July 2024. Now, Phase II of the Graduate and Professional Student Housing Initiative is officially underway and slated to open in summer 2027.
“Phase II of The Ridge will build on the success of Phase I, which provides competitively priced housing within walking distance of all graduate programs,” says Robin Morey, vice president for campus services and chief planning officer.
The new structure will be an L-shaped building wrapping around two sides of the existing parking deck, the front of which will face Haygood Drive. Phase II will add 383 beds and community space to the existing 535 beds. The site is a 15-minute or less walk to every graduate program, lab and library on Emory’s Atlanta campus, so students can reach their campus destinations without needing a car. The housing also has Emory shuttle and MARTA bus access.
The housing was designed to serve two primary needs highlighted during the university’s master planning: a lack of graduate student housing on Emory’s core campus and a space for these students to gather and build a sense of community.
The initial design was crafted with input from focus groups and students and Phase II was no different. By staying flexible and adaptive to tenant feedback from Phase I, the design was changed to offer more two-bedroom plans and fewer studios.
“As the Ridge transitions into its second phase, the demand remains strong as demonstrated by full occupancy and a strong sense of community,” Morey says, pointing to 99% occupancy rates and a lease renewal rate of more than 50%. “Throughout this process, we’re making sure that we’re meeting our goals and not just filling beds.”
Those goals include housing a mix of students from across disciplines, who will form connections they might not otherwise make. The Ridge is designed to be equally accessible to students in all graduate and professional programs, with occupancy breakdowns ideally reflecting a balance of programs across campus.
Another goal supports the university’s sustainability initiatives. The first phase of The Ridge earned LEED Gold designation in 2025, bringing Emory to more than 4 million square feet of sustainably certified building space.
When both phases are complete, Emory anticipates having nearly 1,000 beds of housing for graduate and professional students.