SF State starts construction for first-year residence hall to provide more affordable student housing

SAN FRANCISCO – April 12, 2023 – Today, San Francisco State University held a ceremony to celebrate the start of construction for the West Campus Green (WCG) project. The project includes a first-year residence hall that will add 750 affordable beds, a dining facility and a student health center. San Francisco State hired design-build team McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and EHDD to deliver the project.

“With this project, more students will have access to affordable housing, which is critical here in the Bay Area,” SF State Vice President of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management Jamillah Moore said. “That’s because when students have safe, stable and affordable housing, they are more likely to enroll, excel and graduate.”

The WCG project includes two all-electric buildings adjacent to each other. The first is a 120,000 square-foot, six-story first-year residence hall slated for occupancy by fall 2024. The second is a three-story, 50,000 square-foot building, to open in winter 2024, that will include a dining common area and the Gator Health Center. Other project highlights:

• The residence hall will support all aspects of universal design to ensure equity and access to all students. It will be developed using a “pod” concept approach, averaging 12 rooms each, with three students in each room. Each pod will have shared bathroom facilities and study lounges, which will provide students with space to socialize, sleep, study and dine within the scope of intimate community grouping. 
• The Gator Health Center will house different units on campus including Student Health Services; Counseling and Psychological Services; and Health Promotion and Wellness. Collectively, these units provide a wide range of services such as triaging and health assessments, examination and treatment rooms, mental health support and spaces for administrative and medical staff to provide care.
• The dining facility will frame a courtyard, which will host more intimate pockets for socializing, relaxation and reconnection to nature.

WCG will cost a total of $179 million. It is supported by $116 million in funds from the State of California's Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, which was established to increase affordable student housing across the state's three public higher education systems. 

“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, who attended the ceremony. “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.” 

Designed by global design firm headquartered in San Francisco EHDD Architecture, the WCG project will be delivered under a progressive design-build model led by the national construction company McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.’s San Francisco office. Both companies play an integral part in shaping the Bay Area local economy and housing market.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with San Francisco State University to create a new center of gravity for their campus,” says Jack Carter, Vice President at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. “The new project will be an integral anchor to the Western neighborhood and will act as a connection point for existing and future housing in the area.

“As we developed this project our biggest goal was to foster a vibrant community,” says Lynne Riesselman, project design lead and Principal at EHDD, “making sure incoming students have every chance to build connections and that in their first home away from home they find a place of belonging.”

Learn more about the WCG project by visiting the SF State website.

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About San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University is a public university serving students from the San Francisco Bay Area, across California and around the world, with nationally acclaimed programs that span a broad range of disciplines. More than 25,000 students enroll at the University each year, and its nearly 287,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond. Through them — and more than 1,900 world-class faculty members — SF State proudly embraces its legacy of academic excellence, community engagement and commitment to social justice. For more information, visit sfsu.edu.

About McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.

The oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with nearly 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. For more information, visit www.mccarthy.com.

About EHDD 

EHDD Architecture is a design firm committed to creating transformative places of belonging and impact.  With a staff of 85 across two west coast offices, their expertise spans a wide range of project types and scales.  Honored with more than 200 awards for design and environmental stewardship, EHDD has committed to Climate Positive Plans for 100% of its upcoming projects. The firm has delivered 39 LEED-certified buildings including 17 LEED Platinum projects, and has been awarded seven Center for the Built Environment Living Building Awards, seven AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Green Building awards, and recently a Metropolis Planet Positive award for their in-house EPIC tool. Learn more about the firm at www.ehdd.com.