Ground Broken on $285M University of California, Riverside Student Housing Project

Ground was recently broken on the $285-million, 424,000-square-foot North District Phase 2 Student Housing Development at University of California, Riverside. This intersegmental project, one of the first of its kind in California, will house students from UCR and Riverside Community College District, providing students the opportunity to experience affordable campus living. McCarthy Building Companies is the general contractor on the project.

The recent surge in enrollment at UCR and RCCD colleges has created a substantial disparity between housing demand and available options. Students have been compelled to explore off-campus housing alternatives, which may not always be safe or convenient. This project aims to address the housing shortage and ultimately provide a secure, comfortable and modern living environment for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Located on UCR’s main campus, the project will provide 429 modern single- and double-occupancy apartment-style units ranging from one to four bedrooms with kitchen/living room spaces, along with contemporary amenities such as high-speed Wi-Fi, air conditioning, designated study areas and communal spaces designed for both academic focus and social engagement, including a café/market, new recreation fields and a central park. The project has also received funding through the State Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program to provide affordable beds for UCR and Riverside City College students, bringing the total number of beds to 1,568.

This intersegmental housing project “is meticulously and intentionally designed to break persistent cultural and psychological barriers that many of our first-generation and low-income students experience through a process of total immersion into the UC system,” said Wolde-Ab Isaac, chancellor, RCCD. “My hope is this unique partnership and innovative approach will serve as a model for others to emulate around the state.”

The first students of the North District Phase 2 Student Housing Development are expected to move into the housing project in 2025.