Construction Updates

Stay informed about the phases of our campus modernization (updated 3/14/25)

We have broken ground on our campus modernization! Scroll down for the most recent photos from the site. Construction on Phase 1, the underground parking garage, is underway, bringing our vision of state-of-the-art learning spaces set on a sustainable campus closer by the day. When the garage is completed, we will begin Phase 2, shifting daily life to Casti Village on Spieker Field above the completed garage. During Phase 2, The Gunn Administration Building, The Chapel Theater, and the Joan Z. Lonergan Fitness Center will remain open to support the program and student experience while all other buildings will be taken down, and our reimagined campus will take shape around the Circle, which has always formed the core of the campus and the community. This is an incredible exciting time at Castilleja, and we look forward to sharing news about our progress. If you have questions, please email Kathy Layendecker at cfo.newcampus@castilleja.org.

Our Timeline
Although construction timelines are always subject to change, we want to share our current estimation:  

—September 2024–Phase 1, the underground garage, begins.
—Fall 2025–Construction of Casti Village begins.
—End of 2025–Phase 1 and Casti Village are completed.
—January 2026–Classes shift to the academic village. Phase 2, the learning spaces, begins. 
—During the 2027-28 Academic Year–The modernized campus opens.

Phase 1: Our Underground Parking Garage

Our underground garage is taking shape! (update from 3/14/25) 

The construction crew has dug out exits on Bryant and Emerson streets and is now busy shoring, which means reinforcing the newly dug-out areas with concrete slurry, wooden lagging, and steel beams.

Building Ramps and Keeping it Clean (update from 3/7/25) 

The construction crew has added two ramps for the underground garage, on Bryant Street and Emerson Street. To avoid dust, the crew regularly sprays down the garage pit with water by using two on-site water tanks (rain also helps!). The site also has seven rumble plates to clean the trucks’ wheels of any debris and to avoid tracking dirt onto the street. And there are two boot brushes onsite for the workers, too. All of this serves to keep the neighborhood and the air we breathe clean. 

Shoring, Cement, and Steel (update from 1/31/25) 

Right now, the construction team is shoring the sides of the excavation hole of our future garage. "Shoring" means supporting the dirt walls of the hole, so the crew can continue to safely dig deeper into the ground. Meanwhile, did you see those two giant white towers peeking out above the fence? Those are onsite cement mixers that create a concrete slurry. This slurry is being pressure-injected into dirt holes that have been drilled into the ground. The crew then inserts steel beams into those slurry-filled holes to act as anchors. Finally, wooden slats (known as “lagging”) will further reinforce this protective barrier.

Dirt Removal Outlines the Garage (update from 1/17/25) 

Over the course of this week, extensive dirt removal from the site has begun to reveal the outline of our new parking facility. Take a look at these photos to see the results of that work. Meanwhile, we are excited to report that the tree relocation process around the entry to the garage is now complete. Utility work is nearly complete, and the team is taking advantage of the long weekend to cut off water to campus while school is closed to continue making progress there.

Utilities, Communications, and Water Lines (update from 12/13/24) 

We have made steady progress on a key phase in the process, relocating the utility lines that fell within the footprint of the new garage. As of now, the following elements have been completed and inspected and approved by the City of Palo Alto:
—Onsite Water Line Relocation
—Onsite Fire Line Relocation
—Onsite AT&T Line Relocation
Since the approvals are complete, the trenches that were dug to accommodate these lines have been backfilled. The road work currently taking place on Emerson will connect the external lines to the new onsite lines. You can compare before and after in the photos below.

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