Sundt is modernizing an over century-old Arcata, California building. Once complete, it will serve as a modern healthcare education training center that will support the next generation of healthcare professionals in Northern California. Originally constructed as a schoolhouse in 1925, the building is continuing its legacy of education through a partnership between California Polytechnic University and the College of the Redwoods.
The upgrades to the two-story, 41,781-square-foot facility will include office spaces, classrooms, student common areas and specialized environments designed to support health education programs. Modernizing this space for its educational purpose reflects Sundt’s deep experience delivering state-of-the art higher education projects that strengthen college communities.
A 100-year-old building with modern challenges
Renovating a century-old building requires adaptability, technical expertise and a collaborative approach. With no record of the building’s original construction in 1925 or any subsequent alterations, the team has worked to carefully uncover the existing conditions and develop solutions to 100-year-old problems. We’ve run into these challenges before on other historical renovation projects like the University of Arizona Old Main Renovation and the University of California, Berkeley Clark Kerr Campus Renewal. Teams lean on lessons learned from these past projects to more efficiently renovate the building.
“Back then, nothing was built the same way it is today,” said Noah Holt, project manager. “As we performed selective demolition and exposed the original structure, we were constantly discovering new conditions that required custom solutions to bring the building up to current standards.”
The original structure was framed with old-growth redwood lumber rather than plywood and features non-uniform spacing throughout. Combined with 100-year-old, multi-story concrete wall formwork, these conditions create unique challenges for the project team. To accommodate the existing structure while meeting modern seismic requirements, every new component must be custom-fit, down to each individual sheet of plywood.
Located in a region prone to earthquakes, the building required a complete seismic upgrade to ensure occupancy safety. Sundt’s self-perform team is completing extensive structural improvements including adding shear walls, drilled and epoxy anchor bolts, hold-downs, and straps all built to modern code requirements.
Cal Poly Experts
Successful higher education facilities are built through strong partnerships and trust. The Healthcare Education Hub marks Sundt’s third project with Cal Poly Humboldt, and their 30th within the California State University system.
Sundt’s experience on campus helped provide continuity through the project, with team members from previous Cal Poly Humboldt projects staying on site for the Healthcare Education Hub. From our first project in partnership with the University, we solved the unique challenges that the remote location and rainy climate presented through collaboration and direct communication with the client. That familiarity with the campus, stakeholders and project goals helped establish a strong foundation of trust from the start.
Maintaining transparent communication throughout the project helps Sundt support the university’s long-term vision for expanding access to healthcare education and the development of a skilled workforce in Northern California. The Healthcare Education Hub will be serving Northern California’s future nurses after its completion in October 2026.
See what else we’re building in California here.