New Graduate Housing Proposed for Escondido Village

For FAQs about this project, please click here.

For suggestions, questions or concerns, please email Shirley Everett, Senior Associate Vice Provost at RDESAVPOffice@lists.stanford.edu.

Stanford Report, October 22, 2015

Stanford is in the very early stages of proposing construction of a new residential complex that would provide housing for more than 2,400 graduate students. If eventually approved, the complex would be located off Serra Street between El Camino Real and Campus Drive.

By Lisa Lapin and Kate Chesley

Thousands of graduate students struggling with the Bay Area's challenging rental market may benefit from a new housing complex proposed for the Serra Street area between Campus Drive and El Camino Real.

In early October, the Board of Trustees first considered the concept for the graduate residences, which – if eventually approved – would house about 2,400 graduate students. The housing would be built in the area of the McFarland, Hoskins, Thoburn and Hulme courts. The new construction would likely be multi-story, although not exceeding current building heights in Escondido Village. The complex would replace a number of two-story buildings that now house about 400 students, for a net addition of about 2,000. Students displaced by the construction would be accommodated elsewhere by the university.

Stanford houses about 55 percent of its more than 9,000 graduate students in on-campus housing. The new residences, if built, could increase that number to at least 75 percent. Even though Stanford houses a higher percentage of graduate students than most of its peer institutions, increasing the percentage of graduate students able to live on campus has long been a university priority.

Critical need

"Increasing our capacity to house more graduate students on campus is a critical need for the university," said Patricia Gumport, vice provost for graduate education. "It has become even more urgent as rapidly rising rents in local communities have contributed to financial stress for many graduate students who are struggling to make ends meet."

Currently, Stanford subsidizes graduate students who are guaranteed on-campus housing, but who have to live off campus because there are not enough on-campus spaces. Those students face a very difficult rental market.

On-campus housing is a primary consideration in attracting graduate students to Stanford and ensuring their success.

"We want to continue to recruit the very best talent to Stanford, and many prospective grad students tell us it is a high priority to live on campus or nearby," Gumport said. "Living on campus enhances the quality of their educational experiences by providing close proximity to an abundance of resources for their advanced study and research, especially for the many students who work late into the night and on weekends. Living on campus also fosters community that is essential to their well-being."

The new residences could also help ease the demand for rental units in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Menlo Park, where many students who cannot be accommodated on campus live.

"A significant addition of housing on the Stanford campus will mean the availability of more rental inventory in the community," said Catherine Palter, associate vice president for land use and environmental planning. "In this extremely tight housing market, with such high demand, it would provide some assistance to our neighboring communities."

Gumport said that the new housing could open up space in the surrounding communities that may be suitable for postdoctoral scholars, who also face considerable financial pressures at a critical time in their lives. To help address their financial needs, Gumport said the university recently raised the minimum salary for postdoctoral scholars and established a fund for those who face financial challenges.

"This project is a genuinely transformative investment for Stanford," she said. "Among its many benefits, it will also reduce the cost and time spent commuting, as more members of our community can be housed on campus and live closer to the campus."

Early concepts

Initial design concepts would encompass 1.6 million to 1.8 million gross square feet spread among a number of buildings. The very early concept for the new housing includes premium studio apartments, two-bedroom apartments and junior studios similar to those now offered in the new Kennedy Graduate Housing complex, also located in Escondido Village.

"This is a marvelous opportunity to work with the graduate student community on an attractive housing complex that fosters cross-disciplinary engagement and promotes community, social interaction, fitness, recreation and overall well-being," said Shirley Everett, senior associate vice provost for Residential & Dining Enterprises. "We envision a vibrant community for graduate residents living in Escondido Village. We want to hear what options graduate students value and look forward to exploring the possibilities with them."

Amenities under consideration could include a pub/café/market, exercise spaces, a cinema, dance studio, group music practice spaces, study rooms and offices for graduate life professionals. Everett said she looks forward to working collaboratively with graduate students in meeting their housing needs.

Also proposed is the construction of underground parking. Alternate transportation options would also be enhanced for the area, building on a trend among graduate students to own fewer cars. Car sharing, bike spaces and additional Marguerite shuttles are some of the options being explored to serve the new residences.

Meetings to gather feedback on the proposal will be scheduled with graduate students and members of nearby communities, including the College Terrace and Evergreen Park neighborhoods. The university is also preparing an alternative housing plan for the students who would be temporarily displaced should the construction be approved.

The university hopes to finalize proposed plans for the housing in the coming months, but recognizes that the approval process will involve multiple campus constituencies and government entities.

Frequently Asked Questions

This project is still in the conceptual stage. Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE); Land, Buildings and Real Estate; and the Graduate Life Office are in the process of gathering feedback and input on the concept. We have begun a series of meetings which will continue over the coming weeks and months.

For the latest scheduled meetings, see Town Hall Meeting information below.

If you prefer to share your concerns and suggestions in writing, contact Shirley Everett, Senior Associate Vice Provost at RDESAVPOffice@lists.stanford.edu

Project Details

Student Residents

Construction

Next Steps

What is the status of the proposed new graduate housing project?

In early October, the Board of Trustees first considered the concept for the construction of new graduate housing which – if approved – would house an additional 2,000 graduate students. Read the Stanford Report story about the project here.

Who in the University is responsible for this project?

This project is a collaboration of a number of University entities, including Residential & Dining Enterprises; Land, Buildings and Real Estate; and the Graduate Life Office.

Why is this project necessary?

Given the high cost of rents in communities around Stanford, we must provide better housing options to support quality of life for current graduate students at Stanford, and to allow the University to continue to attract the best students from around the world.

Today, Stanford only houses about 55 percent of the more than 9,000 graduate students in on-campus housing. The new residences, if built, could increase that number to at least 75 percent.

Project Details

Where on campus will the new graduate housing complex be located?

The complex, if approved, will be constructed in Escondido Village, generally along Serra Street. However, we are still very early in the process and the precise location has not yet been finalized.

How many students will the new complex accommodate?

If approved, the new complex will house about 2,400 students, replacing approximately 400 bed spaces in lower density housing units with higher density housing (for a net 2,000 additional new bed spaces), meeting a critical need for on campus housing.

What kinds of amenities and services would be offered as part of the new complex?

The list of possible amenities is still being developed and we are seeking input from graduate students about the amenities that will be most useful for them. Among the amenities that have been suggested are a pub/café/market, a cinema, dance/yoga studios, group music practice spaces, community rooms with kitchens, and study (“huddle”) rooms targeted to graduate students living in EV. Some of those amenities may be open to the broader Stanford community.

What will the monthly rates be?

The housing rates will be consistent with the rate levels for other recently constructed on-campus graduate housing.

When will construction begin and when will it be completed?

There are a number of steps to be completed before a construction start date can be established. However, completion is anticipated by summer of 2019.

Student Residents

Who will live in the new complex?

Residents will be single graduate students and couples, with first priority going to those single graduate students displaced due to the construction. The project will not house any families. Families will continue to be accommodated in the Escondido Village family courtyards.

Will the students currently living in the units to be demolished be guaranteed other housing?            

Yes. There will be ample apartments available for displaced families to remain in Escondido Village family courtyards.  Single students will be relocated during the project to other single, renewable student housing throughout the system (both on- and off-campus housing).

Will graduate student families lose housing to make way for the new complex?

The demolition will require the relocation of some families within Escondido Village, but no eligible families will lose housing or be moved off campus as a result of this project.

For the families (and single students) that will need to relocate to make way for the construction, R&DE Student Housing will provide boxes for packing and moving service at no cost to residents.

Families have priority for on-campus housing. Once they elect to move off campus, they lose their housing guaranteed status. If they later wish to move back on campus, they must apply through the housing lottery along with all other graduate students. Many are granted on-campus housing every year.

Will the project result in the loss of some of the family courtyards?

Currently, 260 families live in 10 family courtyard housing areas (201 living in 2 bedroom apartments and 59 in 3 bedroom apartments). The remaining 59 2-bedroom and 53 3-bedroom units are assigned to single students, based on the current housing demand for families.

Single students who are currently living in family courtyard housing will be relocated to single graduate student housing locations. This will make way for families affected by the project to be relocated to other family courtyards. All affected single students will be guaranteed housing on campus or in off-campus subsidized housing.

In addition, 88 family apartments with courtyards in Escondido South will be reconverted back their original family courtyard housing configuration, as needed based on future demand.

If I am currently living in Stanford housing off campus, will I have a priority for housing in the new housing complex?

This is still being analyzed.

Construction

How will construction noise and dust be managed?

All construction on the Stanford campus must comply with state and local regulations, including measures to avoid construction dust. There would, for instance, be no construction during evening hours. The measures would be similar to those instituted for the Kennedy Graduate Residences. A website will be created to keep the community appraised of construction and impacts.

Will children’s play areas be lost during the process, and will they be replaced elsewhere?

Many play areas will still remain, and we will be discussing replacement play areas with the graduate community. This is an important priority that we will discuss with affected graduate families.

Next Steps

What are the next steps in Stanford’s process and for community involvement?

As we share news of the proposed plans, Stanford will be listening to community comments as to what elements should be considered. We will continue outreach and share project details with the community.

How can I get involved in this process?

First, thank you to all the graduate students who have participated in a town hall meeting about the graduate residence or who have taken the time to write us to share your suggestions and concerns about the new graduate housing project. In light of feedback we've received, we want to take more time to study and explore the options that students, faculty and staff have shared with us about the housing proposal. We are, therefore, postponing the town hall meetings scheduled December 7, 9, and 12 and will reschedule meetings – with families, singles and couples – in early January.

Please continue to refer to our website, where we will update information as appropriate.

Thank you again for your ongoing commitment to engage in dialogue with us.

 

Town Hall Meetings:

The town hall meetings scheduled for December 7, 9  and 11 have been postponed. We will reschedule in early January.

Additional Feedback:

If you are unable to attend a town hall meeting or prefer to submit your feedback in writing, please address emails to Shirley Everett, Senior Associate Vice Provost at RDESAVPOffice@lists.stanford.edu.