A new 800-bed student housing community comprised of four new buildings on the south side of Pond Road, known as The Quad, is one step closer to be built after York signed a Master Development Agreement for the project with Forum Campus Suites this fall.
The agreement followed a long period of design and consultation with the York community, including students, staff and faculty. The residential units will be for the exclusive occupancy of York University and Seneca at York students and is expected to deliver a high-quality pedestrian-oriented environment. There will be new retail uses 
on the ground floor of the buildings and an open-air plaza at the centre of the development.
The Quad project will create a pedestrian-first environment on the south side of Pond Road, including cafes, stores and an open-air plaza
“The Quad student housing community will benefit York’s students, and is part of our broader housing strategy of reinvesting to improve our existing residences and working with experienced private firms to deliver new student housing,” said Gary Brewer, vice-president finance and administration of York University.
The Quad, expected to open in the fall of 2016, will be delivered via a unique agreement between York University and Forum Campus Suites (FCS), a consortium formed by Campus Suites and Forum Equity 
Partners. FCS will lease The Quad site from the University, and build, design, finance and manage the new facilities – delivering them at no net cost to the University.
The new buildings will be built around central courtyards and will include amenities such as fitness facilities, lounges and games rooms
For York Alumnus Henry Morton, president of Campus Suites, he finds himself back in student housing at the Keele campus almost 30 years after graduating. This time, instead of occupying a bed, Morton will be creating hundreds of them. Over the past 20 years, Morton has built over 11,000 beds of student housing at universities and colleges across the United States.
“We are excited to take our extensive development experience and bring it to York and its students,” said Morton. “The Quad will be one of the preeminent, purpose-built student housing sites in the country. We have developed a relationship with York and its community that ensures that the needs of all stakeholders were heard and incorporated in the final designs.”
As the project moves into detailed design and towards construction, updates will continue to be provided to the York community.