The campus of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is growing. It's adding 42 acres on Reynolds Park Drive to ensure it has space to accommodate future development.

The university is still figuring out specifics on how it will use the land but says it will be "repurposed" to meet various needs, including student housing. It has not announced a timeline for any development, but leaders say it will shape the university's future for the next century.

“The integration of this land into our master plan ensures that WSSU continues to lead in driving progress while planning for sustained growth and success,” said Chancellor Bonita Brown.

The WSSU Foundation, a nonprofit organization that operates separately from the university but exists for its benefit, paid $7.5 million for the property.

“This purchase aligns with our mission of supporting the long-term needs of the institution by unlocking new opportunities for revenue diversification," WSSU Foundation President Marcus Cox said. "We are also pleased to announce that this acquisition increases the university’s land area by one-third.”

WSSU's main campus sits on 110 acres on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and is currently landlocked. The newly acquired property is ~3 miles from campus.

There are 11 apartments on the land, which are currently occupied. The university says it will honor existing leases and support residents once plans are developed.

According to Forsyth County property records, TRG Capital LLC out of Mebane previously owned the land. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the development firm had plans to build a multi-family residential project called Towne Lake Commons on the property. It announced in the summer of 2023 it had put the property up for sale instead.