Georgetown University welcomed students into its newest halls, Byrnes Hall and Hayden Hall, in August 2025. Built on the site of the former residential complex, Henle Village, these halls were designed to offer more accessible and sustainable residential spaces on campus. They also enable the university to accomplish part of its goal to provide more on-campus housing for juniors and seniors.
Byrnes Hall and Hayden Hall are two of three towers in Georgetown’s newest residential complex: Byrnes Hall is the West Tower, Hayden Hall is the East Tower, and Henle Hall (scheduled to open later in 2026) is the North Tower. The three buildings have similar features, offer similar housing options, and together they can house up to 732 students. Juniors and seniors can choose from studio, two-bedroom, or four-bedroom apartments. Each is equipped with a full-size kitchen and a washer and dryer.
“My favorite parts of the new residential buildings are the creation of more on-campus apartments with modern amenities, most importantly the inclusion of in-unit washers and dryers,” says Bill Huff, executive director of residential services and business development. “Our juniors and seniors desire housing options that reflect their increased independence, with in-unit kitchens and shared living spaces, while having private bedroom space for their individual needs.” The studio apartments also bring much needed living space for students with documented medical or disability needs who need accessible residences. “The new residential complex has many studio apartments to meet the ever-changing needs of our students to ensure that students with specific housing needs can continue to live on campus with their peers while having their documented needs met in their private living units.”
Byrnes Hall also has a variety of community spaces that are open to all residents who live in the complex. They include a yoga and exercise room, a meditation space, a gaming area, study spaces for small groups, and plentiful soft seating for casual socializing or studying in larger communal spaces. These features amplify the message of prioritizing students’ well-being and engaging residents in building community.
“These new buildings continue to build upon the focus of our team at Georgetown in creating residential communities that are integrated with the holistic needs of students,” says Huff. “The inclusion of a modern community space on the first floor of Byrnes Hall with a variety of study and gathering spaces ensures that students can create community and connect with other campus community members in the place they call home on campus.”
The sustainability features indoors include walls made of live plants and decorative nods to nature throughout the space so that students can connect with nature, lower stress, and boost their well-being. Sustainability features outdoors include courtyards for studying or relaxing that include several electric grills and an outdoor kitchen. Also, each residence hall has rooftop solar panels that will generate energy and help offset the load to the university’s electrical grid. These buildings have achieved LEED Platinum.
In August of 2025, Georgetown received a gift of $20 million from alums William and Lisa Byrnes. To show their appreciation and to illustrate how transformative the gift was for on-campus student housing, the university named the West Tower (Byrnes Hall) the William Gerard and Lisa Hawkins Byrnes Hall. —Camille Perlman
Spotlight is your chance to show off recent construction or renovation projects. Member institutions and architects are encouraged to share details about hall features, related programs, and how they connect to the overall housing mission, as well as photographs of the completed building. Share your success stories.