Long Beach City College (LBCC) held a groundbreaking ceremony today for its new Liberal Arts Campus Student Housing Complex, marking a transformative step in providing housing for students for the first time in the college’s history.

“Today’s groundbreaking is a direct result of our community’s belief in Long Beach City College as a caretaker of our common good,” said Uduak-Joe Ntuk, President of the LBCC Board of Trustees. “Voters entrusted us with this investment, and together with our partners at the City of Long Beach and CSULB, we are turning that trust into a place where generations of students can live, learn, and thrive. This is what it looks like when a community invests in its own future.”

“No student should have to choose between a stable place to live and finishing their education,” said Dr. Mike Muñoz, Superintendent-President of LBCC. “For too many of our students, housing insecurity is a barrier standing between them and their goals, and this project represents our commitment to removing those barriers. I know from my own lived experience that when students have a safe, affordable place to call home on campus, they can focus on their studies, build community, and fulfill their potential. This will help them truly feel that they belong at LBCC.”

Today’s community college students often balance their education with work and family responsibilities, while others are returning to school or facing housing insecurity and challenges outside the classroom. The new student housing facility is part of LBCC’s broader effort to respond to those changing student needs.

The approximately 108,000-square-foot student housing complex will provide 431 beds in a mix of studio, single, and double-bed units. The facility will also feature study, lounge, and meeting spaces; shared kitchens and laundry rooms; and indoor and outdoor gathering areas designed to create a welcoming residential community for LBCC students.

Located at the corner of Clark Avenue and Lew Davis Street, the new residence hall will provide students with convenient access to the center of the Liberal Arts Campus, Public Safety, nearby athletic fields, and the new Stadium and Athletic Sports Complex. The project has a budget of approximately $127 million and is expected to be completed in Fall 2028.

LBCC’s efforts to provide on-campus housing to students through this new project are part of the college’s participation in the Long Beach Housing Promise, a local partnership that aims to make quality, affordable housing a reasonable expectation for all residents of the City of Long Beach, students attending school in Long Beach, and their families. The coalition includes LBCC, the City of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach (CSULB), and Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD).

LBCC is partnering with CSULB to operate the facility, tapping into the university’s deep experience in managing housing and residence life. Application processes, eligibility requirements, rental rates, and housing placement criteria for both projects are still in development.

The project was designed with community input and with a focus on minimizing impacts to the surrounding neighborhood. As part of the design process, LBCC reduced the building height facing Clark Avenue from four stories to three, eliminated student entry from Clark Avenue, relocated the rooftop patio to the far west end of the facility, and incorporated landscaping, architectural enhancements, and murals to give the building a more residential feel. Lighting will be designed to remain within the property line.

The project is being designed to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. Achieving the LEED Gold Certification means the new housing complex will operate with lower energy use, reduced environmental impact, and a more comfortable, healthier environment for everyone who uses it.

Funding for the new building is being provided through Measure LB, approved by local voters in 2016, and Measure AC, approved by local voters in 2024.

The project team includes AC Martin as the project architect and Swinerton as the general contractor. LBCC’s bond management company, the Cordoba Corporation, oversees project management for LBCC.