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Update #14: Cold-Formed Steel for Student Housing, Urban Redevelopment and Municipal Projects

BuildSteel™ is dedicated to tracking the use of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing in projects across the globe. This post features CFS framing products and projects that showcase its ability to cut labor needs and accelerate schedules, support modern redevelopment and deliver award-winning designs.

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Copy of Update #9: Cold-Formed Steel for Performing Arts Center, Child Care Centers and Student Training by Dan Snyder

Howick Roll-Forming Tech Cuts Labor by 65%

The Mercy Hall redevelopment at Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a $75 million, seven-story student housing project that will provide 612 beds across 126 units. Spanning more than 210,000-square-feet, the structure combines post-tensioned concrete with prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) exterior wall panels to accelerate the schedule and improve efficiency. 

Howick Roll-Forming Tech Wall Panels Cold-Formed Steel Mercy Hall Loyola University New Orleans

Howick’s FRAMA™ 5600 cut on-site labor by 65% and sped up Mercy Hall’s schedule by 20%, showcasing steel’s strength and efficiency in mid-rise construction.

A key factor in the project’s success is the use of advanced roll-forming technology from Howick, a member of the Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA). Howick’s cold-formed steel roll-forming tech cut on-site labor needs by 65% and accelerated the project schedule by 20%.

Using the Howick FRAMA™ 5600 system, the panel contractor fabricated the walls off site with precision punching, notching and pre-cut lengths. The delivered walls included sheathing, flashing and waterproofing. This steel-driven approach maintained tight tolerances, provided safer working conditions and ensured faster enclosure.

Set to open in late 2025, Mercy Hall demonstrates how light-gauge steel framing, digital design and automated roll-forming are redefining mid-rise construction — delivering speed, strength and sustainability.

Read the full case study from Howick. 

Steel Framing Redefines India’s Maurya Lok Tower

The Maurya Lok Tower in Patna, India, is undergoing a major redevelopment. The project, with an estimated cost of ₹15 crore ($1.8 million USD), the project is making extensive use of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing to expand the tower by two floors and introduce a gym, restaurant, gaming zone, banquet hall and wellness center. By integrating steel framing into the design, the redevelopment combines architectural innovation with structural strength, setting the stage for a more efficient and durable facility.

Maurya Lok Tower Patna India cold-formed steel framing

The Maurya Lok Tower in Patna, India, is being redeveloped with cold-formed steel framing to add two floors and new amenities, blending modern design with structural strength.

The banquet hall is being built using a steel frame. This will create a large, open space without the need for interior pillars. Most of the additions are also being constructed with steel framing, eliminating the need for brick and concrete. 

Because it is light, CFS will reduce the overall weight of the addition, preventing extra strain on the building. By using steel throughout the redevelopment, the project combines open design possibilities with strong structural performance, ensuring the tower can support the expansion.

The redevelopment of Maurya Lok Tower marks an important step in modernizing Patna’s urban infrastructure while showcasing the advantages of steel in construction. The project sets a benchmark for how redevelopment can create spaces that are both functional and forward-looking. Once completed, the upgraded tower is expected to emerge as a hub for leisure, wellness and social gatherings in Bihar’s capital city.

Read the full article from The Times of India. 

Steel-Framing Key to Design Award Win

The Rockingham County Municipal Complex in Brentwood, New Hampshire, spans 105,500 square feet and combines civic presence and functionality. The complex features a three-story office and support building linked to a Y-shaped corrections wing. The front portion houses the Registry of Deeds, the County Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office. With its pitched gable roof and brick facade and efficient layout, the complex projects authority while serving the public.

Steel played a central role in the design. Engineers used a hybrid system of masonry and cold-formed steel (CFS) framing reinforced with masonry shear walls and special moment frames. This system provided strength and flexibility. It also streamlined construction.

TFMoran, a New Hampshire–based engineering firm, received the 2025 Structural Engineers of New Hampshire Excellence in Structural Engineering Award in the buildings category for this project. SENH presented the award at its annual event, recognizing the complex’s creativity, innovation and technical excellence.

Read the full article from TFMoran News. 

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