Los Angeles-based builder Bernards has announced the start of construction for a new residence and dining hall at the University of La Verne, a private institution in eastern Los Angeles County.

The nearly 115,000-square-foot facility, designed by Steinberg Architects, will feature 396 student beds, in addition to a lounge, study spaces and outdoor patios.  Its ground floor will be activated by a more than 18,000-square-foot dining hall, as well as to other large gathering spaces.

An photorealistic rendering shows that the five-story building will enclose the existing Student Life Quad and Plaza.

The project is the first component of the university's new Facilities & Technology Master Plan, and is scheduled for completion in August 2018.