MSU to replace Hedges complex with new luxury condos that students have been begging for

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On any given night, the sounds of doors slamming, music echoing through the halls and someone yelling down the stairwells fill the North and South Hedges halls, where thousands of students spend their freshman year adjusting to college life — and shared bathrooms.​

That may soon change. University officials announced earlier this week that the Hedges dorms will be demolished at the end of the year in accordance with MSU’s new Strategic Plan. 

They will be replaced with new luxury condominiums, tentatively named The Hedges Yellowstone Reserve, aimed at enhancing the student living experience, according to University President Brick Testman.

Preliminary plans indicate the development will include private one-and two-bedroom units and upgraded amenities intended to reflect what administrators described as contemporary student expectations.

“This is about modernizing MSU housing,” said Makin Cashman, associate vice president for campus development. “Students are looking for more than just a place to sleep. They want comfort, convenience and a lifestyle that reflects their academic investment.”

“The project will include rooftop hot tubs, a coffee bar and lounges with mountain views," Cashman said.  “Additionally, a residents-only steakhouse, golf simulator and wellness space are planned to satisfy basic student needs.”​

The project is being developed in partnership with Supreme Privilege Living — a Los Angeles-based real estate developer  — and will be designed by MSU architecture students. Cashman said the students are receiving one academic credit as compensation.

“We have been working on this project all semester,” said architecture student Frank Lloyde Wrong. “Every time I turn in a new rendering, the University says it's too ‘Montana,' which I have been told is not the direction we are going,” he said.

Cashman said that the University saw the project as a valuable learning experience for students. “Student-architects are gaining real-world experience by designing a large-scale project under tight deadlines with minimal sleep.”

​“We see this as more than just housing,” said Robert ‘Transplant’ Sacramento, lead developer for Supreme Privilege Living. “This is an opportunity to create a premium residential experience that aligns with Bozeman’s growth.​”

Testman confirmed that housing rates will increase to reflect the upgraded facilities. “While current costs for living in the Hedges complex average around $6,000 per semester, the new units are expected to cost approximately $20,000 per semester,” said Testman

“When you look at what students are getting, the value becomes very clear,” Cashman said. “We believe that these new rates will offer luxury to students at an amazing deal!”​

Bestman also said that construction is expected to begin immediately following demolition, with completion projected sometime after current students have graduated.

Students currently living in the Hedges complex expressed mixed reactions to the announcement.​

“I wish they would've done this before I got here,” said freshman Miles Envy. “This year, my floor's dryers were broken for two weeks, and now freshmen are going to have a golf simulator?”

“I feel like this project is a huge mistake,” said Hannah Buzzkill, a current resident of South Hedges. “Residence halls are supposed to be a place where students learn how to live on their own, not a place to play golf and chill in hot tubs.”​

Testman declined to clarify whether the new housing costs would be considered affordable under existing student housing standards.

“This project is about setting a new standard for student housing on college campuses across the nation,” Cashman said.  “We are confident that students will make it work.”