Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Construction Underway on New Housing, Dining Facility for CSU San Marcos

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/15/24

Construction on the new University Village Housing and Dining (UHVD) facility at Cal State University San Marcos in San Marcos, Calif., recently hit a milestone, according to a news release. Project builder McCarthy Building Companies recently announced the concrete start and tower crane arrival for the 140,661-square-foot facility, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. The facility will offer housing space for 550 additional students, as well as a 10,888-square-foot dining hall.

“McCarthy is thrilled to announce the successful erection of our tower crane for the CSU San Marcos student housing project, marking a significant milestone in our construction journey with CSUSM and Gensler,” said David Alford, Vice President Operations at McCarthy Building Cos. “This achievement continues to energize our teams' passion for transforming dreams into reality, bringing us one step closer to delivering exceptional, affordable living spaces for CSUSM students.”

The university received $91 million in funding from the California Legislature and state governor from the 2022–23 state budget. The project’s ultimate goal is to improve housing access and equity for “underserved, low-income students.” The school currently enrolls about 16,000 total students, 2,000 of whom live on campus.

The university also partnered with architecture firm Gensler for the project.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Girl Sitting at Library Desk, Using Laptop

    How Campus Design Shapes the Finals Week Experience

    Academic performance is not just about preparation. It is closely tied to how students manage stress, maintain their energy, and shift between work and recovery modes. Much of that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by design.