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San Diego State University (SDSU) Imperial Valley and Imperial Valley College marked the completion of an important step in their joint student housing development project. Nielsen Construction California, Inc. was selected as the project’s general contractor, with SILLMAN as the project architect.
The project, first announced in fall 2023, was largely made possible by $11.6 million in state funding. This included $2.5 million secured by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia for SDSU Imperial Valley and an additional $9 million from the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, contributing to the $17 million project cost.
“Through this new development and partnership with Imperial Valley College, our students will be able to save on transportation and housing costs and are likely to develop an even deeper sense of campus community,” said Guillermina Gina Nuñez-Mchiri, dean of SDSU Imperial Valley. “The selection of Nielsen Construction California and SILLMAN is an important next step in bringing this shared vision to life.”
The joint student housing project utilized the state investment to build 40 single- or double-occupancy rooms at SDSU Imperial Valley’s Calexico location.
“We are thrilled to partner with SDSU Imperial Valley on this groundbreaking student housing project,” said Lennor Johnson, superintendent/president of Imperial Valley College. “The selection of Nielsen Construction California and SILLMAN marks a pivotal moment in our journey to provide stable housing for students. By addressing housing insecurity, we are not only enhancing students’ college experience but also ensuring our students have a solid foundation to achieve their educational goals and transition smoothly to SDSU Imperial Valley.”
The student housing was planned to be available to students enrolled at SDSU Imperial Valley and Imperial Valley College.
“Nielsen Construction California is excited to be working on the SDSU Imperial Valley campus again on the joint student housing project. This will be the first on-campus student housing project and we are proud to be a part of it along with our design partner, SILLMAN. Nielsen Construction is a local construction firm that has been building in the Imperial Valley continuously for more than two decades, and SILLMAN has been designing projects throughout Southern California and the Imperial Valley for nearly 50 years,” said D. Nielsen Pollock, President of Nielsen Construction California, Inc. “Our team is dedicated to working with SDSU Imperial Valley and Imperial Valley College to bring campus housing for local students and will positively change their college experience both socially and educationally.”
Previously, Nielsen Construction California worked on the SDSU Imperial Valley campus as part of several projects, including the construction of the Steppling Art Gallery.
The project was set to break ground in early 2025 and was expected to be completed by fall 2026.
