UC San Diego starts construction on Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Neighborhood

California Construction News staff writer

UC San Diego recently broke ground on the Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Neighborhood. The complex includes four new buildings, ranging in height from to18 storeys.

The project contractor is Hensel Phelps and construction is expected to be completed by winter 2026.

Construction will add:

• 2,400 new beds for undergraduates

• 19 new classrooms and a 150-seat lecture hall

• Larger spaces for studying, co-working, and academic support services

• administrative spaces to house the Thurgood Marshall College, the School of Global Policy and Strategy, and the Department of Economics

Ridge Walk North is one of three living and learning neighborhoods that support the La Jolla-based university’s goal of adding ~5,700 new beds to its campus by the end of 2025. In addition, UC San Diego recently approved plans to redesign its Triton Center.

The project aims to achieve LEED Gold certification with a range of sustainability practices in design and operations. Low-flow fixtures and drought tolerant landscaping will savewater. The project also optimizes natural ventilation and daylight to reduce demand for mechanical ventilation and electricity, and construction waste is reduced by fabricating some building elements off-site.