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Map courtesy of city of Homewood
This map shows two six-story buildings proposed to house 494 students for Samford University on the university's 27 acres on the south side of Lakeshore Drive. Additional parking to be added is shown in white.
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Map courtesy of city of Homewood
This map shows two six-story buildings proposed to house 494 Samford University students on the south side of Lakeshore Drive in a black outline. The area outlined in red is proposed parking for student housing and retail on the first floor of one of the housing buildings, while the area outlined in yellow is proposed as parking for the existing office building and the area outlined in blue is proposed for parking for the existing soccer and track complex.
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Image courtesy of city of Homewo
This drawing shows a proposed layout for two six-story buildings for student housing for Samford University on the south side of Lakeshore Drive. The buildings are proposed to house 494 students between Shades Creek and Samford's soccer and track complex.
Samford University has a new proposed development plan for its south campus on the south side of Lakeshore Drive that includes two six-story buildings for student housing but no hotel as a previous plan did.
The plan going to the Homewood Planning Commission Tuesday night includes two six-story buildings that would house 494 students and 9,250 square feet of retail space on the first floor of one of those buildings.
The buildings would be between Shades Creek and Samford’s soccer field and track. The university owns 27 acres there that also include a 125,000-square-foot commercial office building. There currently are 705 parking spaces there, and the proposed plan would add 212 more parking spaces to provide a total of 917 parking spaces, records show.
The proposed uses would require only 838 parking spaces, according to a traffic study submitted to the city with Samford’s development plan.
Samford officials say the university needs the additional housing options to meet its growing student enrollment. The university brought a similar plan to the city for approval last year, but it included plans for a 10-story hotel, new athletic facilities and up to $26 million in financial incentives from the city.
Last year’s proposal was met with significant opposition from the public, so the university withdrew its request in June 2025. Opponents expressed concerns about environmental impacts, increased flooding, an oversized skyline, traffic increases, the financial incentives and a loss in development potential for Brookwood Village.
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Image courtesy of city of Homewo
These sketches show conceptual views of two student housing buildings for Samford University on the south side of Lakeshore Drive, next to the university's soccer and track complex and an existing office building shown in the background.
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Sketch courtesy of city of Homew
This sketch shows a conceptual view of two new student housing buildings for Samford University on the south side of Lakeshore Drive in Homewood, Alabama.
The new traffic study submitted estimates this development would add 87 new vehicle trips during the morning peak hour, 43 new trips during afternoon release of students from nearby Homewood High School and 81 new vehicle trips in the afternoon rush hour.
The traffic study recommends converting the “free intersection” at University Park Place and South Lakeshore Drive into “coordinated operations” during peak periods.
The plan also includes a “quad” courtyard between two sections of one of the buildings, an outdoor pool and courtyard between the two student housing buildings and sidewalks along University Park Place.
Long-term plans include a potential pedestrian bridge over Lakeshore Drive to get to the main campus.
The Homewood Planning Commission is set to consider Samford’s request during its meeting Tuesday night at Homewood City Hall The Planning Commission has a work session scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and an action meeting at 6 p.m.
See the complete agenda, application from Samford and accompanying traffic study here.
