California Northstate Receives Approval on New Modular Residence Hall

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 09/29/20

A private for-profit university in northern California has received city approval to build a new on-campus dormitory for its medical students. California Northstate University, located near Sacramento, will be constructing a five-story, 104,500 square-foot student dormitory on its Rancho Cordova campus, with 400 rooms in two separate buildings. Construction plans also include a separate free-standing, 9,237-square-foot cafeteria building with another 16 rooms.

Architectural rendering of approved residence halls.

CNSU has colleges of pharmacy, medicine, psychology and health sciences at two campuses. The university wants to expand enrollment to include international students. "In order to do so, they need to provide housing options," according to public documents.

The building will be located on the site of an "underused" parking lot next to the existing Health Science College campus, which typically enrolls around 300 students. Amenities will include laundry facilities, a lounge and a recreation room. On-site vehicle, electric charge stations and bicycle parking are also part of the plans.

According to campus leadership, architecture of the dormitory will include both modern and traditional design elements, with "hipped roofs," canopies and horizontal lines with cream to light brown alternating colors. The building will use modular construction, being manufactured off-site and assembled on campus. The exterior of the building will then be constructed on the outside of the modular units once they're assembled. Design was done by Edmond Jacobs, an architect in Modesto, CA.

The university said it was investing $30 million in the project.

The campus also announced plans to build a medical center in Elk Grove, which was expected to be completed in 2022.

University President and CEO, Alvin Cheung, said in a statement that the Rancho Cordova City Council and its staff "worked diligently" to keep the dorm project compatible with the surrounding business park. "The city was great to work with and we look forward to bringing more educational facilities to Rancho Cordova," he noted.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Zurn Releases New Ductile Iron Frame Trench Drain System

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently released the newest addition to its Train Drench portfolio, the Ductile Iron Frame Trench Drain System, according to a news release. The product is designed for heavy-duty applications like airports, military, universities, and more.

  • Allegion US Partners with Two Colleges for Mobile Credential Technology

    Allegion US recently announced a partnership with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and Denison College, in conjunction with Transact + CBORD, to install mobile credential technologies campus-wide, according to a news release. Implementing Mobile Student ID into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet will allow students access to campus facilities, amenities, and residence halls using just their phones.

  • University of Kentucky Sees Positive Results from Energy Efficiency Program

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently announced the results of its Energy Program in Facilities Management, put into place eight years ago, according to a news release. Between the fiscal years of 2017 and 2025, the university’s campus grew by 13.6% while the energy use per square foot dropped by 19.2%.

  • Designing Learning Spaces that Support Student Mental Health and Wellness

    In today’s education landscape, schools are more than just centers for learning; they are integral to the holistic development and well-being of students. The global pandemic underscored the importance of addressing mental health in schools, as productivity dropped, stress levels rose and students faced challenges managing emotions.

Digital Edition