East Campus construction to ramp up in summer

With a major new housing expansion project already underway and several additional projects occurring at different points over the next two to three years, big changes are coming to East Campus beginning this summer.

As construction ramps up on East Campus this year, university planners are asking for patience and increased awareness from the campus community when traveling near work sites. (Image credit: Stanford Land, Buildings & Real Estate)

Once all the construction work is complete, the east part of campus will benefit from more graduate student housing; improved traffic flow and safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists; upgraded utility services; expanded childcare programs; additional parking options; and new facilities for public safety and emergency operations.

Occasional detours and other disruptions will take place as each project moves forward. Given the scope and locations of construction, university planners are asking for patience and increased awareness from the campus community when traveling near work activities.

“We have been planning ahead for several months to ensure all the work happening in East Campus is coordinated as seamlessly as possible to minimize disruptions during construction,” said Laura Goldstein, executive director of project management in Land, Buildings and Real Estate. “A number of roadway and walkway closures, detours and reroutings will impact motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. We will be providing information to help people plan in advance and ask for their cooperation and patience during this busy period.”

Members of the Stanford community can stay informed about upcoming construction activity and related impacts by signing up to receive weekly HEADS UP notifications and construction updates. A webpage for East Campus projects will be accessible through the HEADS UP website when it is finalized. Construction-related questions or feedback regarding East Campus projects can be sent to headsup-updates@lists.stanford.edu.

Following is information about each project.

Graduate residences: Site preparation and demolition of existing buildings for the Escondido Village Graduate Residences is currently underway. The project replaces a number of one- and two-story buildings with 2,431 graduate student beds in four multistory residential buildings and includes related on-campus amenities. Reconstruction and reconfiguration of the Escondido Village “spine,” otherwise known as Village Way, and project-related utility work begins this summer, followed by the start of heavy construction in November. The project is scheduled to be completed by September 2020. More information, including construction updates and parking impacts, is available online.

Utility work: A combination of water, sewer, storm drain and stormwater capture, gas, electric and communication utilities upgrades in East Campus are scheduled to begin Monday, June 12, on Serra Street and Campus Drive East. Work will involve the digging of trenches along or near affected roadways and sidewalks, with related closures, detours and reroutings taking place on a regular basis. Utilities work will take place primarily on Serra Street (between El Camino Real and Galvez Street), Campus Drive East (between Escondido Road and Arrillaga Mall), Bonair Siding (between Campus Drive East and Pampas Lane) and on Pampas Lane. All utility work is anticipated to be completed by fall 2019.

“Our utilities work will occur in phases over time,” said Goldstein. “Safety is our number one goal as we work to minimize impacts wherever possible. Campus users should remain alert and exercise caution when traveling near all work areas.”

Roundabout: Stanford’s newest roundabout will realign Campus Drive East to replace the two intersections where the roadway currently splits into two one-way roadways that each intersect with Serra Street. Stanford has pursued the development of roundabouts in recent years to smooth traffic flow and improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists who converge at busy intersections. Underground utilities work at the roundabout site will begin Monday, June 19, followed by grading and paving. All work on the new roundabout is scheduled to be complete before the first home football game in fall 2018.

“The new roundabout at Serra Street and Campus Drive East will be the fifth one installed on campus since 2014,” according to Jack Cleary, associate vice president in Land, Buildings and Real Estate. “Based on the performance and feedback received about our other campus roundabouts, we anticipate seeing improved traffic flow and safety at this heavily used intersection.”

Childcare facility: A new childcare facility will be constructed on Escondido Road to house expanded programs of the Children’s Center of the Stanford Community (CCSC). The new facility will be located at the site of Rainbow School and the Peppertree After School Program. Advance notice of any temporary road closures on Escondido Road will be provided via HEADS UP notifications and construction updates. Construction is anticipated to begin by the end of 2017 and will take about one year to complete. The current CCSC will continue to operate at its current location until the new facility opens.

Manzanita parking structure: As part of the revised Escondido Village Graduate Residences project, the new Manzanita Field Parking Structure will create 850 parking spaces under Manzanita Field and retain the open space above when complete. No project-related street closures on Serra Street or Campus Drive East are anticipated at this time. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2018 and be completed by May 2020.

Over the long term, new facilities for public safety and emergency operations also are being planned for the northeast part of campus. A new Public Safety Building will house Department of Public Safety programs and staff. A new Emergency Operations Center & Electronic Communications Hub is also planned. Both new buildings will be located on Bonair Siding Road, near Pampas Lane. Construction of the Public Safety Building is scheduled to begin in January 2018, followed by construction of the Emergency Operations Center in March. Both facilities are anticipated to be complete by June 2019.

Additional information about projects campus-wide is available at the HEADS UP website. The website includes a map of major projects and related construction information, along with strategies to navigate safely around individual projects on foot or wheels.