CPH clears trees and dorms for new Housing, Dining and Health complex project

The summer demolition of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Campus Apartments reshaped the hillside between Laurel Drive and LK Wood Boulevard. Around 37 trees were removed, including redwoods (not old growth), pines and invasive eucalyptus, to clear space for a $170 million Housing, Dining and Health complex project. For students, the new view is striking, for the university, it signals the start of one of its largest construction efforts.

All uphill from here

Mike Fisher, acting vice president for Administration & Finance, said the demolition also removed 11 resident parking spaces on the north side of the hill. The hillside is now being restored with native landscaping and community seating, a project expected to finish by the end of Fall 2025.

However, the hill is only part of the larger project. To the south, on the flat ground that once housed the ceramics and sculpture labs and an adjacent parking lot, the Housing, Dining & Health building is planned. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 and finish in 2029. In the meantime, the site will be used for contractor parking, which Fisher said should help ease demand on general campus parking.

Some of the removed redwoods will be incorporated into the hillside, while others will be milled locally for benches and smaller campus projects. Planning documents estimate that as many as 85 trees could ulti- mately be removed from the site. Redwoods don’t feel replaceable Some students shared how these changes on campus, specifically the loss of trees, altered the campus atmosphere. “I feel like we should have been notified more,” said Itzel Ramirez, an energy systems engineering student.

“For a school that prides itself on the land, you take away what most people come here for. Especially the redwoods. That’s insane.” Andrea Worden, an environmental resources engineering student, agreed. “Cutting those down just doesn’t feel right for Humboldt,” Worden said. “They tell us we’re an environmentally conscious campus, but this doesn’t match that message.”

Both students said the demolition left them questioning the university’s identity. Ramirez called the redwoods “a symbol of what makes Humboldt different” and worried the campus was trading that away for buildings. Worden added that it felt like decisions were made without enough student input.

Bigger buildings, bigger questions

The Housing, Dining & Health project follows the recent opening of Hinarr Hu Moulik, a 400-bed apartment complex with a café, gym and recreation spaces. The new hub will add another residence hall while centralizing dining, counseling and health services.

Ramirez and Worden felt those promises clash with the loss of trees.

“They’re telling us it’s sustainable,” The university’s plans for the demolished space and student reactions Worden said. “But taking out dozens of trees doesn’t feel sustainable at all.”

Samuel Ramos, a second year biochem- itry major, also wrestled with the changes. “It was sad but we know the school needs more space. It comes down to what we value more,” Ramos said.

Costs and timing concerns

The university maintains the project is about more than housing. Fisher said it will be designed with sustainable materials and expanded student wellness facilities in mind.

Students remain cautious. Ramirez raised concerns about who will bear the costs, stating that tuition and fees often end up carrying new construction projects. Worden questioned whether the project would actually meet student needs, pointing out that “housing is important, but if it isn’t affordable, it’s not solving the problem.”

Some also questioned the timing of the demolition. Since it happened over summer, when most students were away, concerns of “shadiness” surfaced.

“From our perspective, it seemed like that,” Ramos said. “But maybe they just wanted less student traffic to make demolition safer.”

What’s next?

By fall 2025, the hillside will be replanted with native landscaping and seating, while the Housing, Dining & Health project is set to break ground in 2027 and finish in 2029. Fisher said tree removals will be offset through replanting and pointed to the university’s stewardship of nearby forests as part of its ecological responsibility.

For Ramirez, the issue is whether such trade-offs reflect Humboldt’s values.

“You can’t claim to be about the environment and then remove redwoods,” Ramirez said. Worden agreed, warning that projects like this risk leaving students disconnected from the campus they chose.