Sundt Construction Selected for $73 Million California Baptist University Events Center

California Baptist University (CBU) recently selected Sundt Construction, Inc., a member of multiple AGC chapters, as the general contractor for a new Events Center and arena located on the southeast quadrant of the school’s main campus in Riverside, California.

The $73 million project will create the 66-year-old university’s largest gathering space and events center to accommodate a surge in growth over the past few years. Designed by SVA Architects and HOK arena specialists, the 153,000-sq-ft structure will seat 5,050 people with room to expand to just over 6,500. The two-story, multi-use facility will be a hub for CBU athletic events, commencement exercises and orientation activities, along with the school’s Chapel program, which serves more than 5,000 students a week. The structure will also feature locker rooms for home and visiting teams, as well as a new athletics suite and offices.

"Not only will this facility create additional event space for the university’s fast-growing student body, but it will support all facets of their athletic, academic and spiritual life programs," said Sundt Vice President Robert Stokes. "We are working closely with HOK and SVA Architects to ensure this facility is the perfect centerpiece to an already beautiful campus."

Preparation of the construction site already is underway. The facility is slated for completion in April 2017, in time for CBU commencement exercises in May.

As a leader in education construction throughout California, Sundt has worked on many notable projects, including the San Diego State University Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union in San Diego; Coast Community College Interdisciplinary Complex in Costa Mesa; and California State University, Channel Islands Sierra Hall in Camarillo.

Sundt Construction Inc. (www.sundt.com) is one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors. The 126-year-old firm is known nationally for its commitment to quality and innovative approach to construction services. The general contractor has offices in Sacramento, San Diego and San José, California; Tempe and Tucson, Arizona; and San Antonio, Fort Worth and El Paso, Texas.

Founded in 2003, SVA Architects (formerly MVE Institutional) has become one of the country’s most innovative and respected design and planning organizations. The award-winning firm specializes in planning, architecture, and interior design of corporate, public, mixed-use residential and student housing, as well as institutional facilities. SVA Architects values institutional and public environments as the foundation of a community and the backdrop against which we live, learn, work, worship, and play. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana with offices in Oakland, San Diego, and Honolulu. For more information, visit www.sva-architects.com.

HOK is a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm. Through a network of 25 offices worldwide, HOK provides design excellence and innovation to create places that enrich people’s lives and help clients succeed. For six consecutive years, DesignIntelligence has ranked HOK as a leader in sustainable and high-performance design. For more information, visit www.hok.com.