Construction wrapping up at UC Riverside student housing complex ahead of Fall semester

California Construction News staff writer

Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on UC Riverside’s new student housing complex project in advance of its opening next month.

Major construction of North District Phase 2 is mostly complete, with work expected to wrap up soon.

The project, which includes 429 apartment-style units and 1,568 new beds, will be completed in just 21 months—a rapid timeline for a development of its size, said Eric Speik, senior project manager for McCarthy Building Companies, the contractor overseeing construction.

Speik credited the fast schedule to the use of prefabricated cold-formed steel wall and floor panels, manufactured and shipped from Mexico, which sped up the construction by about two months.

Located west of North District Phase 1, the two new buildings rise five to seven stories over the intersection of Canyon Crest Drive and W. Linden Street. The 415,000-square-foot development is part of UC Riverside’s ongoing effort to meet growing demand for student housing. In a unique partnership, some units will be set aside for Riverside community college students, marking a first for the campus.

Final interior work includes carpet installation, furniture setup, window shade placement, and fire alarm testing, Franklin said.

The project also includes three new playing fields north of the original North District buildings, and a nearly completed 2.4-acre community park between the two phases. The park features a decomposed granite path and a winding trail that follows the site’s natural slope and includes 30 preserved pine and oak trees.

The building’s frontage along Canyon Crest Drive features a two-story pedestrian arcade supported by concrete columns and a shaded roof. A retail space with a market and coffee bar called the Den is expected to open this fall.

Additional amenities include a parking lot, fitness center, laundry room, study spaces, meeting rooms, and two landscaped courtyards.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 29.