Design Architect:

SVA Architects, Inc.

Associate Architect or Firm:

HOK

Landscape Architect:

Community Works Design Group

Owner / Developer:

California Baptist University

Project Data:

Completion Date:     5/1/2017

Square Footage:      152000

Building Use:           Athletic Games, Commencement, Chapel, various university events

Project Description:

The Events Center proved to be a holistic, cost-effective answer to CBU’s needs. To start, it provided an opportunity to reorient the campus, shifting from the traditional north entrance from Magnolia Avenue. The site includes a new primary campus entry sited on Adams Street. The new entrance will revitalize overall site circulation and bring both campus pedestrian and automobile traffic flows past the Center and other new buildings planned for the adjacent lots. The Entry Plaza that fronts the Events Center will become a major, defined outdoor space on the CBU campus. In addition to accommodating pre-event functions, the plaza will host a myriad of fairs, concerts, speakers, and other medium-format events. Furthermore, the space will become a central node that is planned to link together both current and future circulation routes throughout the campus.

The two-level events center is designed to complement the mission revival architecture style that is a hallmark of the CBU campus. The facility allows for a minimum of 5,000 seats for basketball and volleyball games, and can be expanded to over 6,000 seats to serve the campus community’s numerous events, including chapel and commencement. The multi-use facility provides a flexible, enduring solution to persistent event challenges CBU faced. Previously commencement had been conducted at a rented arena 20 miles from campus, fans were often turned away from high profile games at the door, and on-campus events had to be held in scattered, makeshift facilities that were ill-suited to their needs.

The Events Center harmonizes with existing buildings on campus while providing a high level of modernity and versatility. Due to the infrastructure, this state-of-the-art project can easily accommodate evolving technology. Additionally, this project is the catalyst for the development of the southern region of the campus and will activate a previously unused location.

With CBU’s basketball programs set to join Division I of the NCAA for the 2017-2018 school year, it was imperative that the project be delivered on time. The project was completed without delay in May of 2017. Furthermore, the team actively participated in maintaining the modest project budget, obtaining maximum value and quality for every construction dollar spent. As an uncompromising vision of how to deliver a quality project in the most cost-effective manner possible, the Events Center combines a multi-use design with the University’s priority towards its community and its future.

As a premier private Christian University, CBU strives to help students understand and engage in an educational experience that integrates academics with spiritual and social growth. The Events Center is unique to the CBU campus in both motive and design. Wholly devoted to serving its students, the University emphasized creating an inviting and lively environment that provides multiple opportunities for every aspect of the University’s community life.