San Jose State University wants to renovate its main and south campuses to make way for a projected enrollment increase of 8,000 students through 2040.
The San Jose State University Campus Master Plan has several facets. It will include 2 million square feet of academic space and student support services. More than 1 million square feet of existing academic, administrative and housing facilities will be demolished and replaced with more open space. The plan adds 2,100 beds for student housing, bringing total beds to about 7,270. The percentage of students living on campus is expected to grow from 13% to 19%.
“We are excited to be taking the next steps in updating SJSU’s Campus Master Plan,” SJSU president Cynthia Teniente-Matson told San José Spotlight. “The demand for an SJSU education and the opportunity it provides has never been greater and this plan, including expanded housing capacity for an additional 2,100 students, is the roadmap to meeting that demand and serving our Spartan community well.”
SJSU spokesperson Robin McElhatton said the university expects the California State University Office of the Chancellor to certify the plan during the spring semester. A date is still pending for when the master plan goes to the board of trustees for a vote.
With an increase in transfer, graduate, out-of-state and international students, the university projects enrollment to grow from 36,000 to 44,000 throughout the renovation.
SJSU is planning to provide students, faculty and staff more housing in the immediate downtown area and other nearby locations as well. The university has begun making those moves with the purchase of the south tower from the Signia by Hilton. Spartan Village on the Paseo, which accommodates 700 students, is an 11-story residence at 170 S. Market St. It was fully rented when it opened last August.
San Jose Downtown Association CEO Alex Stettinski said the increase in SJSU students living on or near campus directly correlates to increased foot traffic for the city’s downtown core.
“The Grad (apartments) is one of the most visited areas in downtown,” he told San José Spotlight. “And the Spartan Village that has now turned into dorms almost doubled the foot traffic between where Paseo de San Antonio starts all the way to campus.”
Stettinski said data used by the downtown association to measure vibrancy shows the influx of SJSU students directly correlates to increased downtown activity.
San Jose Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Leah Toeniskoetter agrees. She said SJSU’s planned expansion and redesign is an exciting development, not only for the university but for the future of downtown.
“As one of the largest economic drivers in our city, SJSU’s growth will bring tremendous energy and opportunity to the heart of Silicon Valley,” she told San José Spotlight. “Upgrading SJSU’s infrastructure and reimagining its campus design will enhance downtown’s overall image, making it a more attractive destination for students, residents and visitors. This project reinforces San Jose’s commitment to being a hub for education, innovation and community collaboration. The chamber is proud to support SJSU’s vision for that future.”
The master plan is available for public review and comment. The university plans to hold a public forum Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. to talk about potential community impacts from the university’s campus updates, such as the effects of noise and air quality from construction that’s expected to span the next two decades.
District 8 San Jose Councilmember Domingo Candelas, an alumni who graduated from SJSU with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, said he’s excited to see the university preparing for such growth.
“Accommodating nearly 10,000 new students by 2040 is a significant undertaking, and it’s great to see the university planning for the future,” he told San José Spotlight. “I look forward to seeing how the final campus plan evolves and how it can support the academic and community needs of San Jose for years to come.”
Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X.
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