Cal Poly gets go-ahead to add 4,100 beds of on-campus student housing. Here’s the plan

The California State University Board of Trustees approved Cal Poly’s 10-year plan to dramatically expand and improve its on-campus housing.

Over the next several years, the billion-dollar Future Housing Plan will add about 4,100 beds to Cal Poly’s student housing in nine new eight- and nine-story buildings, helping to ease existing demand, accommodate future enrollment growth, and address aging campus housing facilities, according to a university news release.

Construction will take place in five phases on the current site of the five North Mountain residence halls, which are the oldest on campus and opened in 1952, and the student parking lots on the hill nearby.

The board approved the full program concept and first phase at Tuesday’s meeting.

Construction will start this month and add approximately new 1,348 beds for use beginning fall 2026 and fall 2027. Three of the five new buildings located on the current site of the parking lots will be built first.

Renovations of the redbrick dorms and closures of the North Mountain residence halls are tentatively scheduled to begin in 2027.

Subsequent project phases are anticipated to open more housing every year thereafter until 2030. These are the anticipated dates for construction, but a Cal Poly spokesperson says that due to the nature of the project, the timing could change.

When the new construction is complete, all second-year students will be able to live on campus.

“Supporting student success is at the core of everything we do. Cal Poly already houses all first-year and many second-year students on campus — and being able to house all second-year students on campus gives us an opportunity to check in more often with them to provide that support and connection to services and programs that enhances their academic success,” Vice President for Student Affairs Keith B. Humphrey said in the release. “We’re working closely with students, campus and project partners to design new residential communities that foster learning, engagement and belonging.”

The project will also make major renovations to the university’s six red brick residence halls, which are over 60 years old.

Existing housing will remain open during construction with no loss of beds, Cal Poly said.

What will the new student housing look like?

Most of the new student residential units will be three-bedroom, double occupancy room suites, housing a total of six students in each suite. Each suite will have two bathrooms and a shared living space.

Each new building will come with a large community space to serve all residents as well as community commons, study lounges, kitchens, and quiet study spaces throughout.

The rooms and communal spaces of the new residence halls, designed by architect Steinberg Hart , will be fabricated offsite, transported to campus and assembled on site to allow for affordable and efficient modular construction. The innovative development will achieve LEED Gold certification.

Road closures and parking impacts expected from on-campus construction

Construction will cause permanent closures of multiple roads and parking lots on Cal Poly’s campus from this summer through 2030.

Campus parking lots K1, K2 and R1 will be permanently closed until June 17, 2030.

Deer Road, Klamath Road, and Mountain Lane will also close for the duration of the construction with limited access for service and emergency vehicles.

More information on the project can be found online at https://housing.calpoly.edu/future-housing and https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/lot_closures/ .