$115 million Cal State Long Beach student housing project will add 424 beds

A new $115 million project recently broke ground at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) that will add housing for 424 students at below-market rates. The 108,000-sf La Playa Residence Hall, funded by the State of California’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, will consist of three five-story structures connected by bridges.

Each building will be surrounded by outdoor amenities, including patios, dining areas, a welcome plaza, and a central lawn. The buildings will feature a mix of single- and double-occupancy student rooms, with lounges, study areas, and maintenance facilities located on every floor. Each building will have a kitchen on the ground floor, three apartments for staff or faculty, a 2,000 sf multipurpose room, and music practice rooms. Additionally, two dedicated offices will expand the University’s Counseling and Psychological Services program to provide support for students in need.  

“La Playa Residence Hall will add 424 residents to CSULB’s Hillside Housing village, improving access to affordable on-campus housing at The Beach,” says Yan Krymsky, principal and design director at Perkins&Will’s Los Angeles studio. “We expanded on the village feel of the surrounding Hillside Housing community by dividing the project into three structures connected by bridges. This gives the project a more approachable scale and preserves open space on campus.”  

The second largest institution in the California State University system, CSULB (CSU) has an enrollment of around 38,000 undergraduate students and 5,562 graduate students. The campus is situated on a 322-acre campus.

Owner and/or developer: California State University, Long Beach
Architect: Perkins&Will
MEP Engineer: Glumac
Structural Engineer: KPFF
General contractor/construction manager: Swinerton