CARSON, CA — Steinberg Hart joined the California State University, Dominguez Hills community to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the university’s new Phase IV Affordable Student Housing and Dining Commons project, an important addition to campus designed to expand access to affordable student housing, strengthen connections among residents, and support student success.

Located north of the existing Phase III Student Residence Hall, the new development brings together a four-story residence hall and a separate, one-story resident dining facility. The project was conceived to provide greater access to affordable on-campus housing for low-income students while helping reduce the overall cost of attendance and creating an environment that supports academic achievement, connection, and belonging.

The residence hall is organized around spaces that encourage students to connect with one another and build community beyond their rooms. Shared student lounges serve as social hubs for residential clusters, while a multipurpose room and informal collaboration spaces provide settings for both academic and social support. At the ground floor, a large resident living room connects directly to a courtyard designed for active and passive uses, extending opportunities for gathering and programming outdoors.

Complementing the residence hall is CSU Dominguez Hills’ first resident-centered dining facility. Positioned between the central campus and the residential living-learning community, the Dining Commons provides approximately 315 indoor and 50 outdoor seats and gives students convenient access to affordable, healthy meal options throughout the day. Natural light fills the lofty interior, while a covered outdoor dining area expands the experience beyond the building.

The Dining Commons builds upon the character of the adjacent Phase III Student Housing project, with an iconic tiled entry portal beneath a projecting roof welcoming students into the facility. Together, the residence hall and dining commons strengthen the connection between residential life and the broader campus while establishing new places for students to live, gather, dine, study, and build community.

Sustainability is also integral to the project. The development was designed to meet LEED Silver equivalency while striving for LEED Gold equivalency, with goals that include exceeding Title 24 energy performance requirements by 10 percent.

With the opening of Phase IV, CSU Dominguez Hills advances its vision for a more accessible and equitable residential experience, creating an on-campus environment intended to support students regardless of income level and help more students succeed in earning their degrees.