Swinerton Builds Across San Diego's University Campus', Advancing the Region's Academic Infrastructure

Delivering modern academic, research, housing, and campus life facilities at the University of San Diego, University of California San Diego, and San Diego State University

SAN DIEGO, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Swinerton Builders (Swinerton) continues to shape San Diego's higher education landscape, with more than 1 million square feet of projects underway and completed across major colleges and universities in the region. From transformative renovations and advanced STEM facilities to student housing and dining environments, Swinerton is partnering with institutions across San Diego to support learning, research, and campus life.

At San Diego State University (SDSU), Swinerton is leading the design-build delivery of the Evolve Student Housing project, the largest student housing project in the university's history. In partnership with Gensler, the multi-phase project, once completed, will deliver more than 3,640 new student beds along with a centralized community center. The initiative builds on a decade-long relationship between Swinerton and SDSU, supporting the university's commitment to affordable, on-campus housing and student success.

Swinerton is also delivering construction services for the University of San Diego (USD). This includes the new facility for the Shiley STEM Initiative, a 70,000‑square‑foot, three‑story academic building that supports interdisciplinary science and engineering education. Designed by Gensler, the facility incorporates exposed systems, immersive visualization spaces, living walls and a rooftop ecology area with raised planters and a solar photovoltaic array. Research and classrooms promote hands-on learning through spaces for environmental science, intelligent systems, biomedical engineering, neurosciences and material sciences.

One of the highlights of this facility is the central atrium, which features a mass timber roof structure supported by glulam columns, beams, and a queen post truss supplied, fabricated, and installed by Timberlab, Swinerton's affiliated mass timber company. Swinerton is self-performing key scopes while coordinating construction within an active campus environment, enabling tighter quality control, improved schedule certainty, and a more seamless experience for the client and campus community.

Also at USD, Swinerton is providing construction services for multiple projects that modernize academic spaces while enhancing accessibility and sustainability. The renovation of Guadalupe Hall includes a comprehensive interior overhaul of the two‑story academic building, featuring full second‑floor demolition and reconstruction, partial first‑floor renovation, new classrooms and offices, upgraded bathrooms, expanded breakroom facilities and modern instructional technology. The project also refreshes the building exterior with new windows and paint and includes demolition to accommodate a new elevator for improved accessibility.

At the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Swinerton is supporting campus growth through multiple projects, including the renovation of the Pines and Roots Dining Commons at Muir College. The 17,100‑square‑foot renovation enhances operational efficiency while expanding indoor and outdoor seating to meet increased demand driven by campus growth. Swinerton is also advancing innovation at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography with the Marine Biotechnology Innovation Facility, a new two‑story building that will house laboratory, office and collaboration space and explore mass timber construction as a demonstration of UCSD's sustainability goals.

Across San Diego, Swinerton's work reflects a consistent focus on collaboration, campus sensitivity, quality construction and long‑term value for educational institutions and their communities.

About Swinerton

Swinerton provides commercial construction, construction management, design-build and self-perform services throughout the United States. Founded in 1888, Swinerton is 100% employee-owned and is the preferred builder and trusted partner in every market it serves—proudly leading with ownership, integrity, leadership, passion, and excellence. Swinerton has 24 nationwide offices in Spokane and Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Boise, ID; Sacramento, Fairfield, Fresno, Concord, San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and San Diego, CA; Honolulu and Maui, HI; Denver, CO; Dallas and Austin, TX; Atlanta, GA; Charlotte and Raleigh, NC; Summit, NJ; and New York, NY. For more information, please visit swinerton.com.

SOURCE Swinerton Builders