Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

San Francisco State University Starts Work on New Residence Hall

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/13/23

San Francisco State University in San Francisco, Calif., recently broke ground on a new first-year residence hall to help provide affordable housing to students, according to a news release. The hall will have a capacity for 750 beds as well as a dining area and a student health center. The university is partnering with design-build team McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., and EHDD.

The West Campus Green project will feature two adjacent buildings. The first will measure in at 120,000 square feet, stand six stories, and is scheduled to open its doors to students in fall 2024. The second will measure 50,000 square feet, stand three stories, and open in winter 2024 to include a dining commons area and student health center, according to a news release. The project will cost a total of $179 million, with $116 million coming from the State of California’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program.

The residence hall supports universal design methods and will use a “pod” concept averaging 12 rooms with three students each. Each pod will share bathrooms and study lounges. The Gator Health Center will play home to Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Health Promotion and Wellness. It will offer services like triage, health assessments, exam and treatment spaces, mental health support, and administrative space. The dining hall will feature a courtyard that offers outdoor spaces to socialize and relax, according to the news release.

“During my visits to almost 30 universities across California, I have met with countless students who shared experiences with housing insecurity,” said California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. “Thanks to projects like West Campus Green, more California students will be able to focus on their education and not worry about where they are going to sleep at night. I’m deeply proud of our state’s historic commitment to supporting the total cost of college attendance for students and ensuring every Californian has a shot at achieving the California dream.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

  • Little Grand Market

    Designing for Belonging: Why Student Wellness Starts with Space

    From walkable site planning to flexible interiors, intentional design choices play a critical role in how students experience comfort, connection, and community.

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.