UC Santa Barbara is expected to spend nearly $750 million to develop new campus housing. The project comes as the university is still considering a separate proposal for a controversial "mega-dorm" called Munger Hall where most students would not have windows.
The new housing project is predicted to provide at least 3,500 beds for UCSB students.
This week, the university posted a request for qualifications from design teams or firms that specialize in student housing projects.
It’s for what they called the “UCSB Student Housing Infill & Redevelopment Project,” which is different from another housing project they previously had planned, called Munger Hall.
That’s a proposal from billionaire Charles Munger to build a massive dorm on the UCSB campus which would also house about 3,500 students.
Students, staff and local officials criticized the building, saying they were concerned about student safety and well-being from overcrowding and the lack of windows.
University representatives said Munger Hall was designed with safety and health in mind, and it addresses UCSB’s critical need for student housing.
UCSB said in a statement that Munger Hall plans are still under consideration alongside the new housing project.
The request for qualifications for the new project is online at ucsbplanroom.com.
