Construction milestone hit in joint student housing project for SDSU Imperial Valley, Imperial Valley College
The project, announced in November 2023, is on track for a fall 2026 opening.
SDSU Imperial Valley and Imperial Valley College’s (IVC) joint student housing project is on schedule to open in fall 2026. Recently, the project reached its “topping out,” a traditional construction milestone marking the completion of the building’s highest structural point. This step signifies that the main framework is finished and the project is moving into the next phase of construction.
The student housing, which will host 40 single- or double-occupancy rooms at SDSU Imperial Valley, Calexico, is for students enrolled at either SDSU Imperial Valley or IVC. The project is located on the east side of campus between Blair Avenue and East 7th Street.
As first announced in fall 2023, the joint student housing project was made possible in part by state funding allocated during the 2023-24 California budget cycle. The funding includes $2.5 million secured by former Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and an additional $9 million in funding from the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, all of which goes toward $17 million in project costs.
This will be the first affordable housing project for SDSU Imperial Valley and the second affordable student housing project for IVC. Nielsen Construction California, Inc. serves as the project’s general contractor, with its design partner SILLMAN, as the project architect.
“SDSU has worked hard to expand degree programs and facilities across our two campuses in Imperial County, and this new student housing project is yet another example of our commitment to grow our support for this community,” said SDSU President Adela de la Torre. “On-campus housing has been shown to improve academic success across the board, as well as foster campus connectedness, and we are grateful to IVC for its partnership in bringing this opportunity to the Valley.”
Partnership
“This partnership opens the door for community college students to live affordably close to where they learn,” said Lennor Johnson, IVC superintendent/president. “With housing near SDSU Imperial Valley, IVC students can continue their academic journey in the Valley with stability that supports transfer and completion.”
The joint project “represents exactly the kind of innovative partnership we fought for — one that breaks down barriers and creates real pathways for Imperial Valley students to pursue higher education without leaving their community. When we secured that initial $2.5 million in funding, we knew this was more than just building dormitories; we were building dreams and keeping our brightest minds in the Valley,” said Eduardo Garcia, former State Assemblymember.
“Seeing construction begin on these 40 rooms means our students will no longer have to choose between pursuing their education and staying close to home. This is how we strengthen our community — by investing in our young people and creating the infrastructure they need to succeed right here in Imperial ”
The project is part of the university’s commitment to expand student support services and spaces, such as the new degree programs at SDSU Imperial Valley. For example, the Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and the Bachelor of Science in chemistry will launch in fall 2026.
“Through this new joint student housing project, we are able to gather our institutional forces to provide students a smoother transition into obtaining a four-year degree and launching a career,” said Guillermina Gina Nuñez-Mchiri, SDSU Imperial Valley dean.
“Our student housing will be open for students from low-income households who are in need of affordable housing and are looking to either continue their education at SDSU Imperial Valley and/or transfer from Imperial Valley College,” she said. “This is the first step to create a more unified sense of community and belonging in our higher education spaces.”
Last month, SDSU Imperial Valley opened its much-anticipated Sciences and Engineering Laboratories in Brawley, a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and future geothermal energy sector demands of “Lithium Valley.”
In May 2022, SDSU Imperial Valley announced the creation of an accelerated pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
