TCU will open Hill, Walsh and Gutierrez Halls in Spring 2025

By Molly Curran and Alexis Garcia

Workers build the new dormitories across from the Neeley School of Business Sept. 17, 2024.

In January, move in day will arrive for up to 300 students, who may have spent their first semester in a forced triple room, in a study abroad program or even at another university.

They'll be unpacking at Hill and Walsh Residence Halls. The East Campus complex, which includes a dining hall is part of TCU’s plan to accommodate its growing student population.

The two new residence halls will feature mainly doubles and various single-room options. The dorms will house first-year students and residence assistants.

Each double room opens to a private bathroom located directly across the hall. It is equipped with a shower, toilet and sink.

"The layout of these new dorms differs from the current ones," said Craig D. Allen, executive director of Housing and Residence Life.

The new halls aim to accommodate students of all genders, designed with greater flexibility. Each hall will house a mix of male and female residents, with several private, gender-neutral bathrooms on each floor.

Current Construction on Hill and Walsh Residence Halls

Different Innovative Design

Unlike the double rooms in Colby, Shirley, Waits and Foster, the new rooms will not have individual sinks. Instead, Hill and Walsh will feature "community sinks," shared sinks located outside the single-person restrooms for students to use throughout the halls.

This design is referred to as “pod-style,” where a cluster of dorm rooms will share each of the single private bathrooms.

One of the priorities for TCU’s future development is to “[make] East Campus a thriving residential hub for campus life,” Allen said.

Gutierrez Dining Hall

The natural lighting and modern space contribute to the original idea of a food hall– a place that is not only designed to enjoy a meal but also to have a comfortable experience while making meaningful connections.

Kyle Hollingsworth, the general manager for Sodexo at TCU, said “even when I walk in with my hardhat on and there is dust flying around from construction, it just feels nice to be in there because of all the sunlight coming in.”

There will be seven different stations: a bakery, pizza and pasta, breakfast and deli, grill, salad bar, allergy-free and international.

The new hall is intended for board swipes but all forms of payment will work such as campus cash, Frog Bucks, cash or credit.

The residential dining facility is about 29,000 square feet and can seat 550 people.

Staffing will include a combination of employees that are on campus already, and new employees trained specifically for the new dining hall.

From strategic planners to construction workers, the construction of the new hall is a community effort, hundreds of people have been involved.

“Many different members of the TCU and Sodexo team have been involved from the beginning from initial design, equipment needs, finishes, etc,” Hollingsworth said.

Gutierrez Hall is named after Joe Gutierrez, a member of the board of Trustees, TCU alum and CEO of Novi Midstream in Houston.

The plan for the new dining hall came out of discussions in 2021, and the entire process from the design to getting construction off the ground took approximately two years.

What's Next?

TCU has a strategic plan that is committed to prioritizing student happiness amongst big business decisions.

“The dining hall came from a vision to grow and modernize food service on our campus,” said Jude Kiah, Assistant Vice Chancellor and CFO of Student Affairs Business and Operations. “And we have made sure that the new facility has met that from every perspective. I have been present in every meeting at every stage to ensure success.”

The TCU Dining team has not started on the development of the menus yet, but preparation will begin soon.