McCarthy Completes Landmark University of California, Riverside Student Housing Development
One of the fastest built student housing projects of its size in the nation, the $285 million, 1,568-bed, 429-unit intersegmental North District Phase 2 structures set a new standard for collaboration and speed in higher education.
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (McCarthy), one of the largest and most diversified construction companies in the U.S., in partnership with the University of California, Riverside (UCR), Riverside Community College District (RCCD), and design partner Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB), are proud to announce the completion of the North District Phase 2 Student Housing development — a landmark intersegmental housing project delivering 1,568 beds across 429 apartment-style units in just 21 months.
Located on UCR’s main campus, the 424,000-square-foot development is the first completed public intersegmental housing project in the country, providing affordable student housing for both UCR and RCCD students. This innovative approach provides RCCD students with access to four-year campus amenities and support services — an immersion model designed to improve academic outcomes and retention.
The project achieved substantial completion as scheduled, thanks in part to McCarthy’s innovative use of prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) wall and floor panels. Manufactured off-site and delivered just in time for installation, these components enabled production rates of up to 18,000 square feet per week, accelerating timelines while improving safety, quality control, and sustainability.
“This project represents a breakthrough in how we think about access to housing and education,” said Sarah Carr, Vice President at McCarthy. “By delivering high-quality, affordable housing in record time, we’re helping to expand opportunities for students across the region and creating a replicable model for institutions nationwide.”
Over 50 trained CFS crew members, along with four cranes, and lean scheduling techniques, helped drive rapid progress, allowing earlier interior buildout and ensuring housing was ready for the arrival of students for the fall 2025 semester. Zero failed inspections and full inspector-of-record (IOR) confidence in the off-site quality control process further underscored the project’s execution excellence.
This fast-track delivery was enabled by a design-build novation model that brought McCarthy, SCB, and key trade partners into alignment early. With construction starting before design was fully complete, the team leveraged real-time Building Information Modeling (BIM) coordination, early procurement strategies, and collaborative planning to reduce rework and accelerate critical path activities. This delivery approach helped transform design intent into field execution with precision, speed, and cost efficiency.
“These buildings serve as a physical embodiment of the unique commitment and partnership between UCR, and RCCD, to lift up and transform the lives of a deserving and diverse student body” said Jacqueline Norman, UCR Campus Architect & Associate Vice Chancellor. “We are deeply appreciative of the commitment by McCarthy in making this remarkable project a reality”
The $285 million project received $126 million in state funding through California’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, reinforcing its mission to expand affordable housing access for diverse and underrepresented student populations.
Rising seven stories, the two buildings offer single- and double-occupancy rooms within one-to-four-bedroom apartments complete with kitchens, living rooms, and in-unit amenities like air conditioning and high-speed Wi-Fi. The community is centered around wellness and student life, featuring a café/market, study lounges, a fitness center, courtyards, and new recreation fields adjacent to a central park.
The buildings evoke UCR’s mid-century architectural character, with a material palette of Norman brick, stucco, and exposed architectural concrete, enhanced by the scenic backdrop of rugged, semi-arid mountains that surround the campus. Their design leverages the construction typology by extending the concrete podium beyond the facade to create a monumental loggia that provides welcome shade and identity to the community’s public realm. As the campus’s second all-electric student housing project designed by SCB, it is on track to earn LEED Gold certification, with sustainability features that include energy-efficient systems, water conservation measures, and improved indoor air quality to support student well-being.
“The North District 2 project, with its monumental pedestrian loggia, was always envisioned as both a literal and symbolic gateway to the UCR campus,” says Tim Stevens, Principal with SCB, the design firm for the project. “It is especially meaningful as a welcoming threshold for RCCD transfer students, embodying the spirit of an intersegmental campus community. By embracing a higher-density residential model, UCR not only advances affordability but also creates an inclusive, supportive environment that enriches the student experience and strengthens connections.”
To mark the project’s completion, campus leaders, project partners, and community stakeholders gathered for a ribbon cutting celebration on September 29, 2025.
About McCarthy Building Companies
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (McCarthy) is the oldest privately held national construction company in America. With more than 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients, McCarthy is committed to delivering superior results and creating great experiences for everyone. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program in all phases of the project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 17th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2024). With over 8,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis; Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Austin, Channelview, Dallas, and Houston, Texas; and San Diego, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
