The 85,000-square-foot Student Services Building at San Diego Mesa College serves as a central hub for student support and engagement.  In addition to bringing services such as Admissions, Financial Aid and Counseling under one roof, the building also includes classrooms, conference areas, and the student-run Terrace Café.

Designed to foster connectivity and student well-being, the building features open-air terraces on every level, a grand staircase that links the upper and lower campus plazas, and sweeping views of the surrounding hillside.

The LEED® Gold-certified building exceeds California energy efficiency standards by 38%, saving an estimated 340,000 kWh annually. Additional sustainable features include water-efficient plumbing and landscape systems that reduce water use by 40% indoors and 50% outdoors. The building also integrates the use of recycled materials and indoor air quality enhancements and daylight strategies to reduce energy consumption and support occupant well-being.

PCL provided full construction management services for this project, overseeing 26 separate prime contracts held directly by the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD). This required a highly strategic and proactive approach to packaging bid scopes and managing contractor responsibilities. PCL redefined traditional subcontractor expectations by assigning system-based scopes—for example, assigning exterior waterproofing to the curtain wall contractor, plumbing to the HVAC contractor, and rebar installation to the concrete trade.

By clearly defining work scopes, leading BIM coordination, and maintaining the master schedule, PCL ensured all trade partners could deliver their systems in full without overlap or delay. This project exemplifies PCL’s ability to manage complex delivery models, providing SDCCD with leadership across preconstruction, bidding, and construction while supporting student experience through thoughtful design and execution. PCL continues to be a trusted construction partner for higher education in San Diego.