University of California, Riverside Breaks Ground on $285M Student Housing Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/07/23

The University of California, Riverside recently broke ground on a new student housing project on its campus, according to a news release. The North District Phase 2 Student Housing Development will measure in at 424,000 square feet and cost an estimated $285 million. The residence facility will provide housing to both UCR students and students from the Riverside Community College District.

The university is partnering with McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. for the project’s construction. Both UCR and RCCD have experienced recent bursts in enrollment necessitating adequate, affordable housing for students.

“The McCarthy team is proud to be part of this revolutionary project, which helps bridge the gap between larger universities and community colleges,” said McCarthy Vice President Sarah Carr. “This housing development will provide affordable options that will enhance graduation rates not only for UCR students, but for Riverside City College students as well—a benefit to the entire community.”

The new facility will feature 429 single- and double-occupancy, apartment-style units with between one and four bedrooms, a kitchen, and living room space. The building will also include amenities like WiFi, air conditioning, study areas and communal spaces, a café, outdoor fields, and a park. Funding comes partially from the State Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program.

“We can’t solve all the problems that are challenges for students, but we can solve those two by bringing students to the campus, letting them live here, wear their UCR or RCC T-shirt, and just be part of the campus,” said UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox. “It breaks down a barrier and aside from the housing, it provides them with a different sense of themselves.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Missouri State University Debuts Construction Education Center

    Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo., recently opened a new 10,000-square-foot addition and renovation to support the School of Construction, Design, and Project Management, according to university news. The Construction Education Success Center, built onto the existing Kemper Hall, provides academic space for the school’s construction managers and cost $9.6 million.

  • Embry-Riddle Breaks Ground on New Office Building

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced that construction has begun on a new office building for its campus Research Park, according to a news release. The university partnered with Hoar Construction on the 34,740-square-foot Center for Aerospace Technology II (CAT II), which will be used for research and lab purposes.

  • Texas A&M Breaks Ground on Campus Visitor Center

    Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new campus learning hub and visitor center, according to a news release. The 211,000-square-foot Aplin Center will stand three stories and is scheduled to open to students in 2028.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.