University of California, Irvine
Medical Education Building, shown here under construction, opens in early 2010

Construction Update

-January 2010-

“Because of the vision of the UC Regents and other founders of the campus, UC Irvine has had space to grow. We've used this space for classrooms, labs and student housing, as well as such nontraditional purposes as University Hills housing for faculty and staff. As I have often said: In antiquity, cities grew around rivers; in the Middle Ages, cities grew around religious centers; in the industrial age, cities grew around factories; and in the 21st century, cities will grow around universities. Irvine is archetypal.”

—Chancellor Michael Drake

Hospital Phase II

Hospital Phase II

  • Approximately 70,000 square feet of unfinished shell space in UC Irvine Douglas Hospital will be built out to accommodate 45 additional patient beds, four operating rooms, 21 limited-stay beds and a radiology department. Also at the site, buildings 1 and 10 will be demolished and the new hospital's porte cochere and entry drive will be completed.
  • Total project budget: $163 million (including equipment)
  • Scheduled completion: December 2011
  • Status: on time/on budget
Clinical Laboratory Replacement Building

Clinical Laboratory Replacement Building

  • A 48,000-square-foot pathology laboratory will replace and upgrade facilities lost with the demolition of buildings 1 and 10 at the site. About 12,000 square feet of fifth-story shell space is planned for use as a medical center administration office.
  • Total project budget: $49.5 million
  • Scheduled completion: February 2010
  • Status: on time/on budget
Sue & Bill Gross Hall

Sue & Bill Gross Hall

  • The 82,000-square-foot building will house UCI's Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, dozens of lab-based and clinical researchers, a stem cell techniques course, a master's program in biotechnology with an emphasis on stem cell research, and educational programs for patients and the public.
  • Total project budget: $66.6 million
  • Scheduled completion: July 2010
  • Status: on time/on budget
Breast and Women's Cancer Lab

Breast and Women's Cancer Lab

  • Comprising 18,000 square feet in the north and west labs on the lower level of Sprague Hall, the project includes new casework and lab equipment and the extension of existing mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and fire alarm/suppression systems.
  • Total project budget: $5.2 million
  • Scheduled completion: March 2010
  • Status: on time/on budget
Arts Building

Arts Building

  • The 59,000-square-foot structure will provide studio, theater and rehearsal space.
  • Total project budget: $42.4 million
  • Scheduled completion: September 2010
  • Status: on time/on budget
East campus housing Phase III

East Campus Housing Phase III

  • Project consists of three separate sites including graduate and undergraduate privatized housing and Anteater Recreation Center parking structure.
  • Total project budget: $221 million

Site 1, graduate housing

  • 389 units
  • 565 beds
  • On time and under budget

Site 2, undergraduate housing

  • 331 units
  • 1,198 beds
  • Clubhouse will open to the public in January 2010.

Site 3, parking garage at ARC

  • 1,815 spaces
  • Construction was completed on time and under budget. Garage will open August 2010.

Building a Campus Community

UCI's capital construction program aims to create a campus that functions as a community. More than $367 million in capital projects that support campus learning, research, and healthcare endeavors are under way. These include Sue & Bill Gross Hall: A CIRM Institute, the arts building, a breast and women's cancer lab, a medical education building, a third phase of East Campus housing, and phase II construction at UC Irvine Medical Center.

In September 2008, UCI completed the first phase of UC Irvine Douglas Hospital. The $393 million, 482,428-square-foot research and teaching facility in Orange opened for patient care March 9, 2009. Phase II construction, which began in June 2009, will provide enhanced research opportunities and patient care. More than 70,000 of existing space will be built out to accommodate 45 patient beds, four operating rooms, 21 limited-stay beds and a radiology department. The $163 million project will be finalized in 2011. In addition, the university will finish a $49.5 million clinical laboratory in 2010. Together, these projects will complete a modern, state-of-the-art health sciences campus.


Sustainability and Green Construction

UCI follows building design standards set forth in the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices and state energy-efficiency codes. Buildings constructed at UCI since 1992 have outperformed California’s energy code by 20-30 percent.

The university also strives to qualify all new buildings for the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver rating or higher. Five projects (the Palo Verde II student apartments, the Anteater Instruction & Research Building, the Student Center, Donald Bren Hall, and the Anteater Recreation Center expansion) submitted to the USGBC for certification have achieved LEED Gold, the second-highest rating.

UCI works to minimize its impact on the planet, conserve natural and financial resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Calendar year 2008 programs eliminated 62,000 metric tons of GHG emissions and will save the campus $28.9 million annually. Sustainability infuses all aspects of campus life. From green buildings and energy, fuel and water efficiency to education, outreach and research, UCI excels. The campus has earned citations that include Flex Your Power's Best Overall Award for energy and water efficiency, a Governor's Environmental & Economic Leadership Award in the climate change category, and an EPA Region 9 Environmental Award for sustainable transportation initiatives. For more information, visit www.sustainability.uci.edu/.