Following the building of a new freshman-only residence hall, Wake Forest has continued to expand its residential communities with the recent purchase of Deacon Place.

It was announced that Wake Forest bought Deacon Place, a nearby housing complex popular with Wake Forest students, on Saturday, Dec. 1. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, it cost the University 28.42 million dollars.

“Deacon Place is an ideal housing solution and a natural extension of our residential community,” said Donna McGalliard, dean of Residence Life and Housing and vice president of Campus Life.

Many students have expressed concern about adequate housing recently, especially for upperclassmen, as there has been a notable increase in enrollment. In fall of 2013, there were 4,823 undergraduates; in the fall of 2017, there were 5,102 undergraduates, according to the Office of Institutional Research. Further, McGalliard noted that there were an additional 123 undergraduates this fall semester.

Up to 328 students can be accommodated across 10 buildings, six of which are suite-style and four of which are townhomes.

Deacon Place was proposed back in August of 2015 and opened in 2017. Back in 2015, total university enrollment was at 4,871.

“The University had no need to own an off-campus residential community when T. Michael Kelley, owner of Kelley Properties, presented plans for Deacon Place in 2015 to the City-County Planning Board,” McGalliard said.

But as Wake Forest continued to grow, the need for more housing presented itself.

“The recent demand for on-campus housing, along with the planned enrollment growth of the University, pushed us to pursue other housing options,” McGalliard said. 

About 300 yards from the Polo Road entrance and adjacent to the sophomore parking lot, Deacon Place emerged as a logical solution to provide additional housing options.

Further, Deacon Place, which sits on 11 acres, has many amenities in the complex that students will be able to take advantage of. Most notable are a pool, study lounge, 24-hour fitness room, outdoor area with a gas grill and fire pit, in-home washers and dryers and individual, private bathrooms.