Turner Tops Out Discovery Hall & Wellness Center at California State University San Marcos | Insights | Turner Construction Company
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Turner Tops Out Discovery Hall & Wellness Center at California State University San Marcos
August 20, 2026
The development will provide 926 student beds and wellness, recreation, retail, and student support spaces for the growing California State University San Marcos community
Turner, alongside Sea Breeze Properties, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), and Safdie Rabines Architects (SRA), recently celebrated the topping out of Discovery Hall & Wellness Center in San Marcos, California. The milestone marks the completion of the building’s structural concrete frame and a significant achievement for Turner’s Self-Perform team
The 310,424 square foot development will provide housing and wellness, recreation, retail, and student support spaces for the growing CSUSM community. The project is part of the North City development, a mixed-use neighborhood in San Marcos designed around public spaces where people can gather, connect, experience art, take part in community life, and enjoy year-round event programming. Framed by contemporary architecture, North City brings together homes, workplaces, local restaurants, shops, and businesses, creating a vibrant neighborhood and a more connected way to experience San Diego’s North County.
Building for the Next Generation of Students
For CSUSM, Discovery Hall & Wellness Center represents more than additional student housing. By bringing together residential, wellness, recreation, retail, and student support spaces, the project will create new opportunities for students to connect with one another and build a stronger sense of belonging within the campus community
During the topping out ceremony, Leon Wyden, Jr., Vice President of Finance & Administrative Services at CSUSM, spoke about the lasting impact the project will have on students
“Projects like this are more than buildings. They create opportunities for students to connect with one another, develop healthy habits, and build a stronger sense of belonging.”
The project supports the continued growth of CSUSM while contributing to the broader vision for North City as a vibrant, connected community bringing together educational, residential, commercial, recreational, and community uses
A Milestone for Turner’s Self-Perform Team
The topping out also represents an important milestone in the growth of Turner’s Self-Perfom team. Reaching structural completion reflects months of planning, coordination, field leadership, craftsmanship, and proactive safety management. In less than ten months, the team transformed the site into an 11-story concrete structure that will soon become home to hundreds of CSUSM students.
During the ceremony, David Aguirre, Project Manager, Turner, recognized the craft professionals, partners, and project team members whose collaboration made the milestone possible
“This happens because of all the hard work, dedication, and craftsmanship of every person standing here today. This is a milestone that belongs to all of you.”
Discovery Hall & Wellness Center also provided an opportunity to establish an integrated approach to delivering the concrete scope. The team integrated production tracking, financial management, scheduling, project controls, and field operations within the overall project structure
This approach provided greater visibility into production and enabled field and project leadership to make informed decisions together as the work progressed. Through collaborative planning and optimized sequencing, the team saved an estimated two to three weeks on the structural concrete schedule, helping maintain momentum on an aggressive overall project schedule
Planning and Executing the Concrete Structure
Delivering the structural concrete scope required careful planning and execution among Turner’s field teams and trade partners
The Self-Perform team placed approximately 18,000 cubic yards of concrete, implementing several field-driven strategies to improve overall placement efficiency and maintain progress
Two concrete placing booms helped crews maintain the production rates required to achieve the structural milestone. For the formwork operation, crews used the Atlas Formwork three-piece shoring system with prefabricated perimeter fly tables, helping streamline floor cycles and support consistent production from level-to-level
The team also fabricated formwork panels onsite, providing greater control over production and quality while reducing trucking and material handling
Another strategy involved incorporating Xypex crystalline waterproofing admixture directly into the concrete mix in applicable areas. The approach reduced the need for traditional exterior waterproofing, saving time on subsequent activities while supporting the structure’s long-term durability
Safety at the Center of the Work
Just as important as what the team built was how the work was performed
Throughout the structural concrete scope, Turner crews completed more than 60,000 work hours with zero recordable incidents. The achievement reflects the accountability and shared commitment to safety among craft professionals and project leadership throughout the work
Jose De La Rosa, Project Superintendent, Turner, recognized the crews for maintaining that commitment while meeting the production and schedule demands of the project
“What I am most proud of is how we built it. We achieved this milestone while keeping safety first and sending every worker home safely to their families each day.”
Built on Strong Partnerships
The topping out also celebrated the collaboration among Sea Breeze Properties, CSUSM, SRA, Turner, trade partners, craft professionals, and project staff who have worked together to advance the project
Gary Levitt, President & Founder of Sea Breeze Properties, recognized both the quality of the work and the partnership behind it
“I’m amazed at how quickly and how well this building has gone up… Turner, thank you for everything that you do and the values that you bring and the teams that you bring to this project.”
The milestone reflects a shared commitment among the owner, university, design team, trade partners, and builder to delivering a project that will serve the CSUSM community for years to come
Looking Ahead
With the structural concrete frame complete, Discovery Hall & Wellness Center is transitioning into exterior enclosure, MEP systems, and interior finishes. As work advances, the building will continue taking shape as a new residential, wellness, and student life destination for the CSUSM community
For Turner’s San Diego team, completion of the concrete structure also marks a defining chapter in the continued development of its self-perform capabilities and provides a foundation for applying the team’s experience to future projects
Closing the topping out ceremony, Marc Turcot, Vice President & Operations Manager, Turner, reflected on the lasting connection between the people building the project today and the finished building that will remain in the community
“When you drive by this project years from now with your family, you can point to it and say, ‘That’s my job.’ None of us builds it alone–it takes everybody here–but everyone should be proud to say they were part of it.”
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