Chico State University Breaks Ground on Social Sciences Building

California State University, Chico (commonly known as Chico State University) in Chico, Calif., recently began construction on a new building for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, according to a news release. The new facility will cost an estimated $98 million and will be the first net-zero energy building on the Chico State campus, as well as the third in the wider California State University system.

The building measures in at 94,000 square feet and will play home to nine academic departments. Amenities are set to include 22 classrooms, five laboratories, a large lecture hall, faculty offices and conference space, breakout rooms, and study spaces of various sizes, the press release reports.

It will also feature sustainability initiatives like solar panels, water efficiency, daylighting and LED lighting systems, an indoor garden, and a chilled beam cooling system.

“As we work to attract and serve the next generation of changemakers, we’re proud to do so with one of the most state-of-the-art buildings in the entire CSU system,” said President Gayle Hutchinson. “It sets a standard for the high-quality, high-value educational experience we offer at Chico State now and well into the future, while raising the bar for future efforts to support our commitment to sustainability.

The university is partnering with AC Martin for the building’s design and Turner Construction Company for construction. The building is scheduled to open its doors to students in fall 2024.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Miami University Approves New $242M Multipurpose Arena

    Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, recently announced that its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a new multipurpose arena at Cook Field, according to university news. The $242-million project will serve as a new centralized hub for student life and create space for economic development on campus.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • Photo credit: Elkus Manfredi Architects

    University of Virginia Selects Design-Build Team for New Residential Complex

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., recently announced that it has selected a design-build team for a new upper-class residential development on campus, according to a news release. Capstone Development Partners—in partnership with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team—will move forward with the three-building, 310,000-square-foot housing facility.