Construction of City College's New Gateway Building Reaches Milestone

The steel frame for City College of San Francisco’s new gateway building was completed with a ceremony attended by members of the project team and college representatives.

In the ten working days between Nov. 22 and Dec. 6, XL Construction erected the steel frame for the two-story, 72,000-square-foot Student Success Center.

The $133 million student-serving facility will be a connection between the campus and the neighborhood, acting as a gateway for new students and the community.

“Topping off the Student Success Center gives us a chance to reflect on the exceptional work done to-date by the entire project team to bring about CCSF’s vision for a new state-of-the-art center that serves students in our community,” said XL Construction CEO Richard Walker in a news release. “We are proud to be part of a team that is improving students’ access to much needed support, enriching their experience and enhancing their opportunity for advancement.”

Participants of the Student Success Center topping-out ceremony from left to right: Craig Ellis, Brian Canright, Paul Olson, Dr. Lisa Copper-Wilkins, Joe DelGrande, Joyce Oishi, Erin Allred, Erik Okstad, Monica Taylor, Roxana Vargas Greenan, Andy Millstein and Alberto Vazquez. | Courtesy Spencer Brown

The building, which was designed by the San Francisco-based architecture firm Gensler, will be all-electric, LEED Silver and net-zero ready, with a terracotta panels and glass façade. It’s expected to open in early 2025.

The college is expected to submit plans to the state architect for its long-awaited $182 million theater building later this month. Called the Diego Rivera Theater, the building is expected to break ground late next year.