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Dive brief:
- Amid a challenging environment for higher education projects, McCarthy Building Cos. began to build at San Bernardino Valley College’s new Student Services building, according to an Oct. 15 news release from the contractor. The cost of the project is 94 million dollars.
- The three-story, 104,000-square-foot building will feature office and conference space along with offices of student equity and advising, health and wellness services, enrollment and enrollment services, mentoring and collaboration spaces, a management desk and a veterans center, according to the release. The construction crew is working on the structure after the demolition of a former liberal arts building.
- The project team aims to hire 50% of its workers locally, according to the statement. Project partners include New York City-based architect CannonDesign, Dallas-based AECOM and Anaheim, California-based SafeWork.
Diving knowledge:
In addition to workforce goals, the university is also pursuing LEED Platinum and Envision Gold certifications for the structure.
“We are excited to partner with the San Bernardino Community College District and SBVC by building a building that is essential to student life and connection,” said Sarah Carr, vice president of McCarthy, based in St. Louis, in the press release. “The building will provide a modern and established location to support student success.”
The new building comes amid a milestone year for the institution, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, according to the university.
However, for higher education in general, federal funding concerns have overshadowed other constructions as President Donald Trump’s administration has slowed funding because of diversity and equity initiatives, according to a US News and World Report tracker.
While some universities, such as Yale, have done so construction projects on holdothers like the University of Virginia and the Los Angeles Community College District the network is moving forward at full steam.
The higher education market is a strategic priority for McCarthy, Amanda Corbet, the builder’s vice president of business development, told Construction Dive via email. The company’s approach will be intentional and partnership-driven, Corbet said, with a focus on sustainable delivery approaches and opportunities to fit right alongside campus outcomes.
“We will continue to pursue more higher education projects as this is a great market for us and is very aligned with our strengths in complex and mission-driven facilities,” Corbet wrote.
The construction team aims to complete the project in the spring of 2027.
