New Dorm is the New Norm

Fresno State embarks on first new student housing project in 50-plus years

By Lisa Bell (’95)

Fresno State broke ground this fall on a new affordable student housing project, the first major housing initiative at Fresno State since 1968. This project will add 228 apartment-style beds to the portfolio for Fresno State Student Housing.

The new 80,000-square-foot building will be four stories high and include one- to four-bedroom units. It will also offer a limited number of apartments for students with children. The new building will be located on the corner of Shaw and Cedar avenues, adjacent to existing residence hall buildings.

“With the construction of our last new student housing buildings 56 years ago, this project is long overdue,” says Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval. “It’s important to recognize the unique challenges these students face on their path to obtaining a transformational college education. Providing affordable housing for student-parents is being intentional about student success.”

More than 700 Fresno State students requested priority registration, a benefit available to student-parents. Nationally, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research has found that about 20% of college students have children.

The building — designed by architectural firm SVA — is planned to be completed in summer 2026, with fall 2026 being the target move-in date for students. The construction manager/general contractor is Quiring.

The project is being funded by an affordable student housing grant from the state ($33.7 million) and about $20 million of funding through California State University systemwide revenue bonds (debt service) that will be the responsibility of the California State University, Fresno Association, Inc. (Student Housing) to repay over the life of the bonds.

The CSU Board of Trustees approved the schematic design in July 2023, and approved financing in November.

The family units will have two bedrooms with a kitchen and living room. Housing will provide child-friendly flooring and furniture. The new building will also feature an outdoor play structure and a family gathering area within one of the first-floor common spaces. Each floor of the new building will have laundry facilities.

“We are excited for this new affordable housing building for Fresno State students,” says Erin Boele, director of Student Housing at Fresno State. “Students who live in the residence halls average a 3.1 grade-point average and graduate sooner than those who live off campus.”

With the new building’s 228 beds, Student Housing’s capacity will increase to a total of 1,543 beds across 10 buildings, when the new project is complete. Existing buildings include Baker, Birch, Graves, Homan, Ponderosa, Sequoia, Sycamore and Apsen halls.

This semester, due to the demand for more on-campus housing, Student Housing provided space for more students by converting some double rooms to triple occupancy. This allows students to live on campus and benefit from the amenities, programming and learning communities offered through Student Housing. Depending on demand after the new building opens, some triple-units may convert back to double occupancy, which would lower the overall Student Housing capacity.

– Lisa Bell is the public information officer for Fresno State.