It’s official – Gavilan Hall housing is back at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) starting this fall. Here’s what students who’ve booked the building can expect from their new home.
First, a disclaimer: As anyone who’s walked past the building recently can tell you, construction at Gavilan Hall is still ongoing. Some details are subject to change while others are TBD or “classified,” according to Student Housing and Residential Life (SHRL). They did share that the layout will be similar to other CSUMB residence halls, available mainly to first-year students.
Gavilan residents will be divided into three-bedroom suites. Each suite includes a shared living space, and each bedroom has an attached bathroom. Most bedrooms are triples; a limited selection of doubles will be available for students requiring accessibility accommodations and, potentially, some of Gavilan’s six resident advisors.
In addition to resident advisors – two per floor within the three-story building – a residential life coordinator will also live at Gavilan. That employee’s apartment will include a private kitchen, the only one in the main building.
There is, however, a silver lining for soon-to-be residents looking to cook their own meals. Just steps from the main building is Gavilan’s 2,600-square-foot annex – a unique addition that will feature a shared kitchen alongside a study room, TV room and lounge.
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been a cornerstone of the renovation project.
“As originally built, Gavilan Hall was not accessible under current ADA standards,” said university spokesperson Walter Ryce. “With the renovations, each suite will be accessible, with at least one accessible bathroom and one adaptable bathroom. Additionally, the commons area and the redesigned courtyard will be accessible to wheelchairs and other mobility devices, as well as the sidewalk and ramps to entry points.”
While SHRL declined to comment on how many students are currently booked for Gavilan, a public report filed in December by Matthew McCluney, Director of Campus Planning and Development at CSUMB, indicated that the project planned to include 246 student beds – a slight overestimation according to Ryce, who says the capacity will be about 238.
“This renovation supports campus housing needs, reduces deferred maintenance, and provides additional affordable on-campus housing in response to limited off-campus rental availability and high local housing costs,” said McCluney in the report.
The housing addition, CSUMB’s first in over a decade, comes at a critical time for CSUMB. Enrollment has increased by over 20% since 2023, leaving students sandwiched between high off-campus costs and scarce on-campus housing options.
“We know we have a high housing demand and we live in an expensive area,” said Maddison Burton, associate executive director for the University Corporation, in a statement to CSUMB communications last year. “We’re trying to support the students as much as we can.”
Ongoing renovations of Gavilan Hall. Photo by Tom Nolan.