The paper analyzes the role of the city forming construction of the Kuibyshev hydroelectric power station (KGS) on the Volga and opening in a small town of Stavropol a branch of Kuibyshev Industrial Institute (KII) affiliated to Kuibyshevgidrostroy (since 2001 – Togliatti State University). The research is focused on historical and pedagogical analysis of the processes which influenced the university formation and development, its facility development in the first years of the university history. The paper considers the aspects of the planned construction of the university buildings in the Central District in the new town of Stavropol, and the projects that were not implemented, or built and functioned for a short time. The analysis is focused on the initial stages of the improvement of university premises and territory. Based on the analysis of archival data and museum expositions an imaginary route of an excursion over the territory of the university of that period was recreated. For the first time, two-stage plan for the reconstruction of the compact accommodation for students of the KII branch is published. The first stage of the study covers the period from 1951 to 1953, during which the infrastructure of the university was created for its temporary operation until the city of Stavropol was totally flooded. The results of the second stage of the study (the period of the construction of the hydroelectric power station from 1954 (after the flooding of the historical territory of the city of Stavropol) till 1958) made it possible to reconstruct the university infrastructure in the new territory of the city. The original buildings were almost completely lost – buildings for a different use were erected in their place. Therefore, recognition of the earliest existing territories that are part of the university infrastructure is of particular value. It has been established that an important role in the creation of the university facilities was played by the government, city authorities and the management of the construction site of the Kuibyshev hydroelectric power station. The formation of the first higher school in Stavropol, which later grew into Togliatti State University, contributed to the rapid development of the entire urban infrastructure. It was revealed that for the period of the KGS construction the university facilities and resources provided the opportunity for high-quality training of engineering personnel that met international standards.