Crane Dismantled as UC Santa Cruz's Kresge College Rebuild Continues

The two-phase project to renovate and rebuild the 1970s-era college is scheduled for completion by fall 2026.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A towering construction crane at UC Santa Cruz's Kresge College was recently dismantled as part of the ongoing rebuild of the college, which was founded in the early 1970s with a focus on collaboration and participatory democracy. The first phase of the two-phase project has already been completed, including three new residence halls and a new academic center. Phase 2 will encompass continued renovation, rebuild, and demolition, and is scheduled to be finished by fall 2026.

Why it matters

Kresge College was the sixth college established at UC Santa Cruz and was named after the Kresge Foundation and Kmart founder Sebastian Kresge. The rebuild project has received recognition, including an Honor Award from the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 2024, highlighting the significance of the college's renewal.

The details

The crane that was recently dismantled was being used in the near-total rebuilding of Kresge College. The first phase of the two-phase project has already been completed, including the construction of three new residence halls and a new academic center. Phase 2 will continue the renovation, rebuild, and demolition work, with the entire project scheduled for completion by fall 2026.

  • The crane was recently dismantled.
  • The first phase of the two-phase project has already been completed.
  • Phase 2 of the project is scheduled to be completed by fall 2026.

The players

UC Santa Cruz

The University of California, Santa Cruz, is a public research university and one of the ten campuses of the University of California system.

Kresge College

Kresge College was the sixth college established at UC Santa Cruz and was designed with concepts of collaboration and participatory democracy at its core.

Studio Gang

San Francisco-based architecture firm that received the Honor Award for the Kresge College renewal project at the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects' 2024 Architecture Awards.

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What’s next

The continued renovation, rebuild, and demolition work of Phase 2 is scheduled to be completed by fall 2026.

The takeaway

The rebuild of Kresge College at UC Santa Cruz, which has received recognition for its design, highlights the university's commitment to updating and modernizing its facilities while preserving the college's original focus on collaboration and participatory democracy.