flexiblefullpage -
interstitial1 - interstitial
Currently Reading

Campus costs: Square foot construction prices for student unions

University Buildings

Campus costs: Square foot construction prices for student unions

Using RSMeans data from Gordian, here are the most recent costs per square foot of college student unions in 10 college cities across the U.S. 


By Gordian | July 10, 2019
Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union at San Diego State University. Photo: Pixabay

Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union at San Diego State University. Photo: Pixabay

A student union is an important hub of activity on any college or university campus. There, students can grab a bite to eat, sign up for clubs and activities, or find a spot to study between classes. For university officials, student unions are an important recruiting tool. 

Given their importance, student unions are becoming more modern and amenities-driven. As such, college and university leaders need reliable construction cost data for planning and estimating these important facilities.

RSMeans data from Gordian features more than 100 building models, including models for student unions. These localized models allow architects, engineers, and construction professionals to quickly and accurately create conceptual estimates for future builds. 

The table below shows the most recent costs per square foot of college student unions in cities across the U.S. 

Visit rsmeans.com/bdandc for more information about RSMeans data.

Related Stories

University Buildings | Apr 24, 2023

Solving complicated research questions in interdisciplinary facilities

University and life science project owners should consider the value of more collaborative building methods, close collaboration with end users, and the benefits of partners who can leverage sector-specific knowledge to their advantage.

Green | Apr 21, 2023

Top 10 green building projects for 2023

The Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex in Boston and the Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis are among the AIA COTE Top Ten Awards honorees for 2023. 

Higher Education | Apr 13, 2023

Higher education construction costs for 2023

Fresh data from Gordian breaks down the average cost per square foot for a two-story college classroom building across 10 U.S. cities.

Market Data | Apr 11, 2023

Construction crane count reaches all-time high in Q1 2023

Toronto, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver top the list of U.S/Canadian cities with the greatest number of fixed cranes on construction sites, according to Rider Levett Bucknall's RLB Crane Index for North America for Q1 2023.

University Buildings | Apr 11, 2023

Supersizing higher education: Tracking the rise of mega buildings on university campuses

Mega buildings on higher education campuses aren’t unusual. But what has been different lately is the sheer number of supersized projects that have been in the works over the last 12–15 months.

Contractors | Apr 10, 2023

What makes prefabrication work? Factors every construction project should consider

There are many factors requiring careful consideration when determining whether a project is a good fit for prefabrication. JE Dunn’s Brian Burkett breaks down the most important considerations. 

Smart Buildings | Apr 7, 2023

Carnegie Mellon University's research on advanced building sensors provokes heated controversy

A research project to test next-generation building sensors at Carnegie Mellon University provoked intense debate over the privacy implications of widespread deployment of the devices in a new 90,000-sf building. The light-switch-size devices, capable of measuring 12 types of data including motion and sound, were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building.

Architects | Apr 6, 2023

New tool from Perkins&Will will make public health data more accessible to designers and architects

Called PRECEDE, the dashboard is an open-source tool developed by Perkins&Will that draws on federal data to identify and assess community health priorities within the U.S. by location. The firm was recently awarded a $30,000 ASID Foundation Grant to enhance the tool. 

Architects | Apr 6, 2023

Design for belonging: An introduction to inclusive design

The foundation of modern, formalized inclusive design can be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The movement has developed beyond the simple rules outlined by ADA regulations resulting in features like mothers’ rooms, prayer rooms, and inclusive restrooms.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023

New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics

The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category

Mass Timber

Bjarke Ingels Group designs a mass timber cube structure for the University of Kansas

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and executive architect BNIM have unveiled their design for a new mass timber cube structure called the Makers’ KUbe for the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design. A six-story, 50,000-sf building for learning and collaboration, the light-filled KUbe will house studio and teaching space, 3D-printing and robotic labs, and a ground-level cafe, all organized around a central core.




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021