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USC Breaks Ground on $650 Million ‘USC Village’

September 17, 2014
Monday marked the project's official groundbreaking. (Korea Times / Park Sang-hyuk)

The USC Village groundbreaking ceremony was attended by campus leaders and representatives of city and county government. (Korea Times / Park Sang-hyuk)

By The Korea Times Los Angeles staff

The University of Southern California began its largest construction project yet with ambitions to match.

While spanning 1.25 million square feet with a projected cost of $650 million, the transformation of both the campus and surrounding areas into residential and retail centers should immediately help in creating safer neighborhoods.

In addition, USC’s own analysts project the creation of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars pumped into the local economy without a cent of taxpayer money or government subsidies.

The plans include private amenities for students such as a 30,000 square foot gym as well as 2,700 residential units, while also providing the services of retail businesses to the general public. For security reasons, the entirety of the USC Village will be closed off to the public between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

With South Korea as USC’s 3rd largest country of origin for international students as well as an ever growing Korean American student population, this is welcome news as USC aims to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all of their students.

The project is currently slated to be complete in 2017.

This undated architectural rendering provided by the University of Southern California shows the 15-acre USC Village that will be built in the architectural style of much of the main campus. The village will comprise 1.25 million square feet of residential and retail space over 15 acres on the north side of the University Park Campus. USC Village will open in fall 2017. The project is estimated to cost $650 million.

This undated architectural rendering provided by the University of Southern California shows the 15-acre USC Village that will be built in the architectural style of much of the main campus. The village will comprise 1.25 million square feet of residential and retail space over 15 acres on the north side of the University Park Campus. USC Village will open in fall 2017. The project is estimated to cost $650 million.