Desert Sun: Palm Desert student center taking shape
On the grounds of California State San Bernardino's Palm Desert Campus, a new structure has taken shape piece by piece — first behind temporary construction fencing, then amid the spray of irrigation sprinklers and the movement of bulldozers and an excavator. As construction advanced, the crane's arrival stopped campus staff in their tracks, sending phones into the air to capture the long-anticipated sight.
All of those moments led up to Tuesday, Dec. 2, when students, staff, local dignitaries and community members gathered for a "topping out" of the forthcoming Student Success Center, celebrating the installation of the highest steel beam on the campus' first state-funded building. The emerging structure served as the backdrop as attendees, along with members of the design and construction teams, signed the beam before it was lifted into place.
A space built for students — and for a growing campus
Designed as a centralized hub for academic, wellness and cultural support, the 23,700-square-foot center is slated to open in 2027 and designed to serve up to 4,000 students — a significant expansion for a campus that now serves nearly 1,900 students. It's a vision grounded in the understanding that these "services shape the path for our students," said Paz Olivarez, CSUSB's vice president for student affairs.
Designed by LPA Design Studios and brought to life by C.W. Driver, the facility will house an advising and tutoring center, career center, expanded library, group study areas, a cross-cultural center, campus bookstore, food services, a student health center and a recreation and wellness center.
