ISU, developer embark on project to build housing on Bartz Field
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POCATELLO – Idaho State University has entered into a partnership with a housing developer to alleviate student housing demand by building a new complex on its main campus.
The university plans to construct the housing complex on five acres at the bottom of Bartz Field, below Miller Ranch Field, on land that is only occupied by trees, grass and two practice fields. The project would see the area host new apartment buildings — as well as new trees and grass.
Although this housing complex alone won’t be enough to fully meet ISU’s growing demand for on-campus student housing, more projects will follow.
“We feel this is a very important first phase, but … there is more to come with student housing options here and (ISU’s Meridian Campus) as well,” said Brian Sagendorf, vice president for operations, in an interview with EastIdahoNews.com.
The demand for student housing is growing every year, Sagendorf told EastIdahoNews.com in an interview.
According to Sagendorf, there are around 1,200 beds on campus. At the same time, roughly 9,000 students live in the Pocatello area.
“Not all of those 9,000 students need or want an on-campus living experience, but more than the 1,200 do,” Sagendorf said.
More on-campus student housing options have been in demand at ISU for some time now, Sagendorf said, even before the gains the university has seen in enrollment over the last four years.
“We’ve been 100% occupied for several years. … So we really feel very confident that the demand will be there (for more housing),” Sagendorf said.
But how much housing does ISU need to meet demand? ISU’s Campus Master Plan breaks down adding more student housing options into three phases, with Phase 1 adding 350 beds, Phase 2 adding 375 new beds for first- and second-year students, and Phase 3 adding 350 beds for first-, second-year and upper-division students.
Once built, a housing complex on Bartz Field would meet the goal set out in Phase 1 of the master plan. ISU plans for the complex to have units with two, three, four and five bedrooms, offering 350 to 360 beds in total.
Rather than take on the project completely on its own, ISU set out to find a private developer it could partner with. According to a presentation from July, the university selected Radnor Property Group, a real estate development firm out of Pennsylvania, after a “competitive procurement process” that started in December 2025.
Under this arrangement, ISU and the developer make the project possible in different ways.
“ISU is not spending any capital dollars on this project. What we’re bringing to it is land and a student body and a demand for on-campus student housing,” Sagendorf said.
The project is planned right at the base of Bartz Field, where Bartz Drive passes by Reed Gym and Red Hill Road, and splits into a loop. This housing complex wouldn’t be the first to be built on Bartz Drive, with McIntosh Manor and Schubert Heights farther up the hill, and the Ridgecrest Apartments nearby on Sam Nixon Drive.
The housing complex would have four blocks of apartments, situated around a commons building in the center. Parking for the housing complex would be situated behind the apartments, with the gravel road by Miller Ranch Field likely being paved.
According to Sagendorf, the intention behind the design is to try to “create a little community there.”
The project area is situated at the base of a large hill, which could present some difficulties or increased costs in landscaping for development. And currently, there is no walking infrastructure like sidewalks, crosswalks or stairs surrounding the project area.
Sagendorf said the project will address this, adding sidewalks around the complex, as well as pathways leading to parking and onto campus. Additionally, the rendering shows a set of stairs leading down toward Reed Gym.
“We’ve got to build out all that infrastructure,” Sagendorf said.
But Sagendorf said the developers don’t intend to fight the land; rather, they intend for the project to work with the land.
“The topography of the site (is) sloped. It’s unique. It’s a little tough to get around today. Many developers that had ideas and proposals for projects there were going to be extremely expensive projects. … (Radnor will) be building some of these apartment units (in) separate blocks and embracing the topography of the site,” Sagendorf said.
And these lower-project costs would translate into lower rents for students as well, “making it more affordable for students to live there.”
At this point, it’s not clear how much students would be charged for rent in these buildings, but Sagendorf said the rate would be set “by us and Radnor in partnership.” ISU and the developer are still working through the long-term partnership agreement, which will determine “how we handle the maintenance, how we handle the operations, who takes care of the reservations, the assignment of roommates and room assignments.”
“We have to work through all those details,” Sagendorf said.