Current Projects

Completed in 1992, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography comprises approximately 78,000 gross square feet. The aquarium is home to more than 60 different habitats, ranging from cold to tropical waters. In order to provide a more interactive guest experience, increase event space, and better facilitate Birch’s husbandry arts, conservation, and breeding programs, the project proposes updates to the aquarium’s interior and exterior facilities.

In order for the aquarium to remain open throughout the work, the project will utilize a phased approach. The work will be conceived in zones, including the South Courtyard and Shark Habitat, Hall of Fishes, Horses, Dragons, and Penguins Gallery, Husbandry Arts, and Entryway Modernization. The project will also include site-wide accessibility and energy-efficiency improvements.

Project Details

• Interim Project Manager: Aaron Cooley, (619) 550-7136<
• Phase: Schematic Design
• Executive Design Professional: Architects Hanna Gabriel Wells
• Contractor: Rudolph and Sletten
• Anticipated Completion: 2028
• Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Project rendering

We are excited to take Café Ventanas and the dining program to the next level. This beautifully designed dining facility is the cornerstone of The Eleanore Roosevelt College community. In 2021, the addition of Seventh College to the north increased the surrounding community with additional undergraduate students. Another driving factor of this renovation will be to represent all students, celebrate diversity and embrace culture with unique food offerings, including Black Diaspora.

Additional features include a full-service coffee house within the current dining room. This new espresso bar will offer a full coffee menu, pastries, and a small lineup of retail packaged products. Upgraded seating throughout this space with an eclectic mix of materials, finishes, and style, along with upgrades to the interior lighting system with energy-efficient LEDs are also considered.

Exterior improvements may include creating a visually appealing path on the south side of the building leading from the street to the main entrance, introducing a new connection from Seventh College to the north. Improvements and enhancements to the outdoor patio/amphitheater seating areas with fun and comfortable furniture, and a mix-use of materials will also be considered in the design.

Project Details

• Project Manager: Keith Whaley, (858) 401-9409
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: Hanna Gabriel Wells (HGW)
• Contractor: Suffolk Construction
• Anticipated Completion: Fall 2023
• Location: Eleanor Roosevelt College
• LEED Certification Goal: Certified

Project rendering

As part of a Central Utilities Plant expansion, a new chiller plant is being built to provide additional efficient, water-based cooling capacity throughout the campus. The chiller plant is powered by carbon-free electric power and will include two chillers, two cooling towers, associated pumps, piping and all required electrical distribution systems. This new plant, necessary to accommodate ongoing campus growth, is currently under construction and located east of Galbraith Hall and south of York Hall.

Immediate Pedestrian/Vehicular Impacts

Access to loading docks at Galbraith Hall, York Hall and the Central Utilities Plant will be affected. One lane of Scholars Drive will remain open at all times with flaggers to direct traffic. Please follow signage and allow extra travel time. See a map of the affected area.

Project Details

• Program Manager: Rick Lyons, (858) 222-9061
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: Mascari Warner Dinh
• Contractor: Whiting-Turner
• Anticipated Completion: Summer 2024
• Location: Revelle College

Project rendering

The Data Science Institute (DSI) will be relocated from its existing location in the San Diego Supercomputer building to the Data Science Building, formerly known as the Literature Building, which is a 4-story structure, located in Warren College. This building was first occupied in 1990 by the Literature Department which has since moved to the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood (NTP LLN). Additionally, the Teaching and Learning Commons (TLC) will continue to temporarily occupy a suite on the second floor of this building when this renovation project is complete and until they can move to the new Triton Center.

This scope of the project is to repurpose all four floors of the existing Literature Building as a new space for the DSI. The project scope includes renovation and updating of the entire building (interior and exterior), a new conference/meeting space, new building utilities, new landscaping and outdoor areas, DSI branding and signage, and accessibility upgrades. Restrooms are also being updated and gender inclusive restrooms added.

Project Details

• Project Manager: Rick Lyons, (858) 222-9061
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: Kevin deFreitas Architects
• Contractor: Turner Construction
• Anticipated Completion: Summer 2023
• Location: Literature Building
• LEED Certification Goals: Certified

The proposed project would consist of a strategic realignment and widening of Health Sciences Drive, Medical Center Drive, and surrounding areas in order to improve access, safety and wayfinding on the East Campus. The project would implement a critical circulation enhancement, as identified in the 2018 Long Range Development Plan and associated East Campus Planning Study.

The proposed road realignments would simplify patient and visitor wayfinding by strengthening a singular, flowing path towards the hospital and clinical services, while also reducing decision points. In addition, a new, more direct road connection south of Health Sciences Drive would allow service vehicles to turn and continue directly towards the central utility plant, hospital service areas, and clinical loading docks to Medical Center Drive South.

The proposed project would convert the existing westerly end of Health Sciences Drive into a pedestrian and micro mobility-friendly corridor, and new “smart” traffic signals at all major intersections within the project would be installed, along with a roundabout at the connection to Medical Center Drive South.

Project Details

• Project Manager: Roland Bartsch, (858) 281-9446
• Phase: Design Development
• Executive Design Professional: Dokken Engineering
• Contractor: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
• Anticipated Completion: Summer 2025
• Location: East Campus

Project rendering of the outpatient pavilion on the Hillcrest campus Credit: CallisonRTKL

An ambitious program to rebuild the UC San Diego Hillcrest campus will provide new facilities, new technology, increased capacity, expanded care offerings, workforce housing and other community services and amenities. Over the next 15 years, construction on the $2.5-$3 billion project will continue in five major phases, during which the majority of the existing buildings will be replaced. This work will help ensure the university’s mission to drive innovation and deliver world-class medical care, research and education for many decades to come.

The first phase of the redevelopment of the Hillcrest campus includes the construction of an outpatient pavilion (approximately 250,000 gross square feet) providing new space for a broad range of diagnostic and treatment services in a number of specialty areas, and address existing demands for outpatient services. This phase also includes a new parking structure to provide approximately 1,850 parking spaces for faculty, staff, patients and visitors, a central utility plant and related road and utility infrastructure improvements. The 2019 Hillcrest Long Range Development Plan guides redevelopment of the Hillcrest campus and includes the construction of a new, replacement hospital.

• Hillcrest Information Session – August 2021
• Frequently Asked Questions – February 2022

Press

UC San Diego Breaks Ground on a Multi-Phase, Multi-Billion-Dollar Redevelopment of Hillcrest Medical Campus

Project Details

• Program Manager: Rod Barker, (858) 956-4230
• Phase: Phase one of five
• Executive Design Professional: CallisonRTKL
• Contractor: DPR Construction
• Anticipated Completion of Phase One: Fall 2025
• Location: Hillcrest Campus
• LEED Certification Goal: Silver

Project rendering

The project would replace an existing 670 square-foot modular structure with a new larger approximately 1,400 square-foot modular structure. The existing 50-year-old trailer is past its useful life and can no longer accommodate the needs of researchers and students at the reserve. The reserve serves as a base of operations for environmental research activities to analyze and observe wildlife, including training students in a hands-on science and environmental stewardship experience. A full range of sustainability practices for design and operations are included in the budgeting, programming and design effort for the project to provide a facility that is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Construction began in spring 2023 with anticipated completion in early 2024. For more project information, visit the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve website.

Project Details

• Project Manager: Megan Francis, (858) 336-4713
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: Architects Mosher Drew
• Contractor: DPR Construction
• Anticipated Completion: Winter 2024
• Location: Mission Bay, San Diego, CA
• LEED Certification Goal: Silver

Project rendering

Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood would provide approximately 1,300 single-occupancy rooms for transfer and upper-division students in response to high demand for below market on-campus housing. The project would comprise 580,500 gross square feet in two  22- and 23-story towers, with connected five-story buildings featuring outdoor terrace seating. The project also includes retail, open spaces in two large courtyards and access to canyon trails. Adjacent to the Central Campus station of the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley, Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood is within a five-minute walk of the Gilman Transit Hub, providing extensive public transit options. Pepper Canyon West aims to achieve LEED Gold certification with a full range of sustainability practices in design and operations. Low-flow fixtures and drought tolerant landscaping will save water, while green roofs will increase efficiency by removing heat from the air and reducing temperatures on the roof surfaces. 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.

Press

UC San Diego Receives $100 Million in State Funding for New Student Housing

Project Details

• Project Manager: Bryan Macias, (858) 230-5648
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: Perkins & Will
• Contractor: Clark Construction
• Anticipated Completion: Fall 2024
• Location: Pepper Canyon
• LEED Certification Goal: Gold

Construction Camera

Project rendering

Originally built in 1989, Price Center West is located within University Centers at UC San Diego and serves as a central hub for campus dining and services. With a growing student population and aging facilities, Student Affairs University Center has identified a need to revitalize the Price Center West dining commons, enhancing the interior and exterior dining areas. The dining experience, capacity and flow integration to the outdoor plaza are essential elements of the project.

Construction is phased over two years with the first phase, completed Winter 2023, renovated approximately 7,000 square feet of the interior food court, including common dining space, restrooms and access between Price Center West and East. The second phase will renovate approximately 25,000 square feet of the exterior plaza with improvements to circulation, storm water treatment, landscaping and new canopy structure adjacent to Price Center West food court for an enhanced outdoor dining experience. Phase 2 work will be completed over summer 2023.

Project Details

• Project Manager: Robert Northrop, (858) 242-9488
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: Reyes Architects
• Contractor: Swinerton Builders
• Anticipated Completion: Fall 2023
• Location: University Centers

Project rendering

The proposed Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Neighborhood project would provide approximately 2,400 new student beds on the San Diego campus. The program would include space for student dining and fitness, replacement space for programs currently in structures to be demolished for the project, and permanent space for the Marshall College academic program and student support services. It also includes significant public realm improvements as well as community building space for students that incorporates programs, such as ESports, a glass lab, and Basic Needs.This project supports diversity, equity, and inclusion by expanding access to the “living/learning community” model to a greater proportion of students. Living on campus gives students access to a rich variety of academic and social resources and supports student success. Students who have the benefit of living on campus are immersed in the University community with easy access (via campus shuttle, bicycle, or on foot) to adjacent academic, research, clinical, recreation, and retail facilities, supporting the campus’s Climate Action Plan.  The campus will make every effort to design the project to meet or exceed all University of California sustainability and carbon neutrality goals within the constraints of the overall project financial feasibility.

Frequently Asked Questions – April 2023 (PDF)

Pedestrian detour map (PDF)

Project Details

If you have questions about the project, email 5511rwnlln@ucsd.edu.

• Project Managers:
  • Abigail Grass, (858) 230-4266
  • Chris Page, (310) 941-7164
  • Rosella Arce, (858) 736-7858
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: HMC/EYRC
• Contractor: Hensel Phelps
• Anticipated Completion: Fall 2025, phased with completion by Winter 2026
• Location: Marshall Lowers
• LEED Certification Goal: Gold

Project rendering

The Shiley Eye Institute is a three-story building, constructed in 1991, and located in East Campus Health Sciences neighborhood. The building currently houses clinical and research space. Researchers currently occupying space in Shiley Eye Institute will relocate to the Viterbi Family Vision Research Center. Due to growing patient load at Shiley Eye Institute, the proposed project will convert the vacated research and office space on the second floor to clinical space, including exam rooms, imaging areas, utility rooms and clinical support rooms.

The Shiley Eye Institute was originally designed to serve 20,000 patients annually; there are now more than 100,000 patients seen at the Institute each year, necessitating the need for additional clinical space.

In addition to the second-floor renovation, the project scope includes upgrades to building infrastructure and modifications to improve accessibility and path of travel to meet current building codes. The Shiley Eye Institute currently has a seismic performance rating (SPR) V and a Tier 3 seismic evaluation was completed to determine the required seismic improvements needed to bring the building to a SPR IV or better, in accordance with the UC Seismic Policy. The seismic retrofit scope has been included in the renovation project that will update the SPR rating to a SPR IV once completed. The project scope also includes repair of existing water intrusion problems, as well as a minimal architectural refresh of the building exterior.

Project Details

• Project Manager: Frances Angelborg, (619) 885-2013
• Phase: Construction Documents
• Executive Design Professional: TEF Design
• Contractor: Align Builders
• Anticipated Completion: Winter 2024
• Location: East Campus

Project rendering

• Open House Presentation – January 2020 (PDF)
• Project Presentation – August 2020 (PDF)
• Frequently Asked Questions – April 2023 (PDF)

The Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood would include five buildings ranging in height from 9 to 21 stories to provide approximately 2,000 new beds for undergraduate students, residential life and administration offices for a new college, general assignment classrooms, meeting space, restaurants and retail space for approximately 900,000 gross square feet total. 

The 11.8-acre site is located at the southwestern edge of the campus. Public realm improvements would include: an enhanced campus entry at the Revelle College Drive intersection; partial realignment of Scholars Drive South (campus loop road); a valet/drop-off zone for the adjacent Theatre District; a transit hub for campus shuttles and public transit buses; an extension of Ridge Walk (a primary north-south pedestrian spine) to the southern campus boundary; and recreation/outdoor wellness spaces located strategically throughout the site. When complete, the project will include replacement parking in a below-grade configuration for approximately 1,200 cars (325 net new spaces).

The project is fully under construction with a variety of construction activities happening throughout the site.

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), CEQA Consistency Analysis for the project has been prepared. This is included as an Addendum to the 2018 LRDP Environmental Impact Report (EIR) wherein this project was evaluated for impacts. The consistency analysis concludes that the project is consistent with the 2018 LRDP EIR, and the project will not result in any new significant impacts.

Project Details

• Program Manager: Dennis Brown, (858) 228-6621
• Project Manager: Mark Minieri, (858) 354-7744
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: HKS & EYRC
• Contractor: Kitchell
• Phased Completion: Fall 2023 through Spring 2024
• Location: West Campus Neighborhood (south of Revelle College – site map)
• LEED Certification Goal: Gold

Construction Camera

Project rendering

The fire station, a first for the campus, would be built as a partnership between the City of San Diego and UC San Diego, with the goal of serving the needs of the growing university, as well as the local surrounding community. The fire station, to be located near the intersection of Genesee Avenue and North Torrey Pines Road, would enable faster response times and provide vital emergency services that will benefit the UC San Diego community and the many families and individuals who live in the surrounding community. It would be approximately 10,500 gross square feet and comply with the City of San Diego Fire Station and UC San Diego construction standards. The new station would accommodate the standard fire station crew of 12 personnel per 24 hour shift and include three drive through fire apparatus vehicle bays, administrative offices, kitchen and dining area, day room, reception/watch room, training room, wash room, exercise room and crew quarters.

Press

• Fire Station at UC San Diego Approved by San Diego City Council
• UCSD reaches deal with San Diego for on-campus fire station

Project Details

• City Project Manager: Monica Arredondo
• UC San Diego Project Liaison: Brooke Sween-McGloin, (858) 295-9232
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: Miller Hull
• Contractor: Level 10
• Location: Intersection of Genesee Avenue and North Torrey Pines Road
• LEED Certification Goal: The project is designed to meet LEED Silver 4.0 and the City of San Diego’s Climate Action Plan.
• Website: https://www.sandiego.gov/cip/projectinfo/UCSDFirestation

Project rendering

The Triton Center project would demolish a collection of 1940s-era, one-story buildings located in University Center, to provide expanded and centralized space for specialized instructional support, student health, mental health and well-being services, and other student academic services and resources to meet the needs of a rapidly growing and diverse student population. Triton Center would also include an alumni and welcome center, multi-purpose space for various campus programs, public realm improvements, and accessible parking. A new vibrant urban core for central campus, Triton Center will create a socially-dynamic and welcoming destination that will showcase the unique accomplishments, heritage, art and culture of UC San Diego, and implement a key component of the campus’ 2018 Long Range Development Plan.

• Pedestrian detour map (PDF)
• Frequently Asked Questions – September 2023 (PDF)

Project Details

• • Program Manager: Matthew Smith, (858) 900-7012
  • Project Manager: Brad Phipps, (858) 228-6741
  • Phase: Construction
  • Executive Design Professional: LMN
  • Contractor: McCarthy
  • Anticipated Completion: Winter 2026
  • Location: University Center
  • LEED Certification Goal: Gold

Construction Camera

A UC San Diego Real Estate Department Project

Project rendering

UC San Diego proposes to construct a new building, which would house the Viterbi Family Vision Research Center. The facility would provide approximately 100,000 gross square feet of new space for research on various ophthalmologic diseases as well as expand interdisciplinary collaborations across campus and the San Diego community to accelerate the pace of discovery and innovation for vision research.

The project site is located east of Interstate 5 in the Health Sciences East Neighborhood of the La Jolla Campus, just west of the Shiley Eye Institute and adjacent to the Koman Outpatient Pavilion, within the existing academic-medical complex. The proposed project would comprise new space for computational analytics and clinical trial research; wet laboratory (open laboratory space design with dedicated laboratory support) to conduct basic science and clinical trial research; a core laboratory (vivarium); meeting and support space; and a small amount of retail.

Project Details

• Program Manager: Juli Smith, (858) 344-7404
• Phase: Construction Documents/Construction
• Executive Design Professional: nbbj
• Contractor: Rudolph and Sletten
• Anticipated Completion: Winter/Spring 2025
• Location: Health Sciences East Neighborhood
• LEED Certification Goal: Gold

Project rendering

Located in the Revelle College Neighborhood on the main campus, York Hall is an essential resource for teaching and research at UC San Diego. The project will provide seismic improvements to York Hall, a 134,000 square-foot concrete structure built in 1966.

Project Details

• Project Manager: Robert Northrup, (858) 242-9488
• Phase: Construction
• Executive Design Professional: LPA, Inc.
• Contractor: PCL Construction Services, Inc.
• Anticipated Completion: Fall 2023
• Location: Revelle College

A UC San Diego Real Estate Department Project