In addition to the newly built Graham Family Hall, students also moved into the recently opened The 87 apartment complex off-campus for the first time this semester.
The complex is located to the east of campus on the former site of the Turtle Creek and Campus View apartments, just off of Vaness Street. The 87 features nine different housing options, ranging from a 420 square foot studio apartment to a 2,212 square foot townhouse.
“Creating a sense of community is one of our top priorities at The 87, and now that we are open, we are even more excited to see that community grow,” Richard Keyser, vice president of acquisitions & development for Toll Brothers Campus Living, the company responsible for The 87, said. “We just welcomed our first residents in August, and we have received a lot of positive feedback and interest in the community.”
In an interview with the Observer last October, The 87’s property manager, Amanda Kindley, noted the company wanted to cultivate a community within the complex. Since the complex has opened, The 87 has hosted events such as cookouts, brunches and a workshop where residents decorated trucker hats. According to Keyser, The 87 has events planned for each week.
In response to a question of whether The 87’s rates remained stable with the prices offered last year, Keyser emphasized the apartment’s amenities.
“As a brand new off-campus luxury student apartment community with fantastic amenities, our rates have remained competitive,” Keyser said.
According to Keyser, the majority of The 87’s units have been leased for the current school year, yet he noted there are some units remaining for those still looking for housing or mid-year housing.
“Pre-leasing is well underway for the 2025-2026 school year, and we have seen a tremendous uptick in interest since students have been back on campus,” Keyser said. “Some apartment-types are already selling out, including limited availability of the D1 four-bedroom floor plan.”
Keyser also stated that The 87 has begun their “exclusive waitlist” for the 2026-2027 school year. Senior Ashlyn Poppe lives in a two-bedroom apartment with one other person; they signed their lease last fall.
“My roommate and I lived together for two years in Pasquerilla West Hall and could not wait to have our own bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as our own in-unit washer and dryer,” Poppe said. “It's the little things.”
The 87 has private study lounges, a fitness center, a content creation room and a social lounge, among other community amenities.
“I really like having my own space,” senior Megan Murray said. “It helps to create the division between academics and personal life.”
Murray lives in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a roommate. The 87 offers three two-bedroom options, two being apartments and one being a townhouse.
“I signed my lease in February, and my only apprehension was if it was going to be finished in time,” senior Hannah Hubka said.
Hubka lives in a two bedroom apartment with a roommate. Besides the studio apartment, The 87 offers one single apartment and five four-bedroom units, three being apartments and two being townhouses.
“I like The 87 because of all the amenities and its proximity to campus,” Hubka said.
The complex is about a 20 minute walk from the main circle; however, The 87 is directly across from the University’s athletic fields. Both Irish Crossings and Irish Row are comparable in terms of their walk time to the main circle.
“The 87 is brand new, furnished and very modern,” Murray said. “It also offers really nice amenities such as the golf simulator, outdoor spaces, fitness center and a parking garage which are super convenient.”
Garage parking, walk-in closets, quartz countertops and kitchen islands are available in select units.
“I was impressed by The 87's marketing strategy and social media presence,” Poppe said. “We knew exactly what we would be getting at The 87 and felt comfortable reaching out with any questions. The team was approachable and the leasing process felt very transparent. I don't think this is necessarily the case with other off campus housing options, including the other options we were considering.”
The University lists off-campus housing options on their website offcampus.nd.edu.
“I would definitely recommend this to students thinking about living off campus,” Murray said. “While the walk to campus is a little longer than those living on campus, it's a nice walk and only feels like 15 minutes.”
Notre Dame has a six-semester on-campus housing requirement. The University has 17 men’s residence halls and 15 women’s residence halls along with the Undergraduate Community at Fischer.
“I love being off campus, but there are definitely moments when I miss living at the center of all the action,” Poppe said. “Moving out of my dorm has allowed me to appreciate Notre Dame's unique dorm culture and the strong sense of community I experienced living in Pasquerilla West Hall. We are staying connected with our dorm community in other ways, but it will never be the same as living together.”
