Mayor Lurie Announces Vanderbilt University Will Establish a Full-Time Presence in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today announced that Vanderbilt University plans to establish an academic campus serving full-time students in San Francisco beginning in 2027, subject to necessary regulatory approvals, marking a significant new investment in the city by one of the nation’s leading private research universities. 

Vanderbilt’s planned San Francisco campus is expected to serve about 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students and bring faculty, staff, and sustained academic activity to the city. The initiative reflects growing confidence in San Francisco as a place to live and learn, and it aligns with Mayor Lurie’s work to make the city a place where world-class institutions choose to invest and build for the long term. 

Since the start of his administration, Mayor Lurie has worked to drive San Francisco’s comeback. In September, the mayor unveiled his “Heart of the City” plan—now with more than $60 million committed to the Downtown Development Corporation—to help foster a downtown where people live, work, play and learn. The mayor launched the San Francisco Police Department Hospitality Zone Task Force early in his administration to revitalize critical commercial districts and improve public safety. After his first year in office, crime was down nearly 30% citywide and more than 40% in Union Square and the Financial District. More downtown office space is being leased in San Francisco, Union Square retail vacancy is dropping, and workers are returning to the office more quickly in San Francisco than in any other major city. 

“Vanderbilt’s decision to invest in our city is a powerful testament to the fact that San Francisco is on the rise,” said Mayor Lurie. “My administration is building a thriving city core where people live, work, play and learn, and now, we’re welcoming another institution that will invest for the long term. As Vanderbilt establishes its presence, they will carry forward the California College of the Arts’ legacy and continue the work of educating the next generation of creative leaders in our city.” 

“San Francisco offers an extraordinary environment for learning at the intersection of innovation, creativity and technology, and it provides an unparalleled setting for Vanderbilt to shape the future of higher education,” said Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. “By establishing a significant full-time presence here, Vanderbilt is expanding the ways our students and faculty engage with the world’s most innovative cities and advancing our core mission of education and discovery. We are grateful to Mayor Lurie for his leadership and support, and we look forward to being a long-term partner in San Francisco as Vanderbilt continues to grow its reach and impact. At the same time, we recognize the enduring contributions of the California College of the Arts and are committed to honoring and celebrating the creative legacy the CCA community has built over more than a century.” 

Vanderbilt and the California College of the Arts (CCA) have agreed for Vanderbilt to acquire the campus of CCA after the wind-down of CCA’s operations in 2027, subject to regulatory and transactional requirements. 

This path enables the location to be a center for academic innovation after CCA closes and allows Vanderbilt to honor CCA’s century-long legacy in the Bay Area in numerous ways, including through plans to operate a California College of the Arts Institute at Vanderbilt, which will include the Wattis Institute of Contemporary Arts. Vanderbilt also will support exhibitions and presentations on contemporary art and other topics that honor CCA’s historical significance, will maintain the college’s archival materials, and will serve as a vehicle for alumni engagement. Investment in the site’s existing infrastructure will support Vanderbilt’s academic offerings, including interdisciplinary programs that foster innovation and creativity. 

Vanderbilt plans to apply for all necessary approvals to operate in California. Building on San Francisco’s long-standing role as a center for innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity, Vanderbilt’s interdisciplinary model will integrate engineering, entrepreneurship, and design with a strong foundation in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. In San Francisco, Vanderbilt will define a new approach to innovation in higher education, cultivating visionary creators and inventive thinkers who are prepared to make a difference in the Bay Area and beyond. This new campus also will educate artists, makers, and designers whose work bridges creative expression and technological innovation, preparing graduates to translate ideas into cultural, civic, and real-world impact. Academic programming is in development and requires review and approval by the appropriate accrediting bodies. 

“Vanderbilt is a top-tier research university with a global faculty base and the ability to sustain long-term research and teaching investments in a way few other educational institutions can,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “Kudos to Mayor Lurie and his team for attracting this kind of educational partnership for San Francisco. I know there’s a lot of excitement about this announcement in the Showplace Square area and adjacent District 6 neighborhoods. This is a generational investment that offers some incredible opportunities for collaboration in technology, design, life sciences and more.” 

Vanderbilt is committed to supporting the California College of the Arts as it winds down its activities. The college intends to continue instruction and operations through the 2026–27 academic year, allowing students to progress in and/or complete their programs. Vanderbilt anticipates opening its San Francisco campus for students in the 2027–28 academic year, pending necessary approvals by regulatory bodies and other processes. Additional information about matters related to California College of the Arts as an institution will be communicated directly by CCA. 

“On behalf of CCA’s Board of Trustees, I want to acknowledge both the challenge of this moment, as well as the opportunity,” said Dr. Calvin Wheeler, CCA Board Chair. “For nearly 120 years, CCA has been providing an innovative arts and design education to students from the San Francisco Bay Area, across California and around the world. CCA’s impact is demonstrated through our global alumni of artists and creative professionals. At the same time, given our financial challenges, we recognize that this agreement with Vanderbilt is the best opportunity to carry forward this legacy, and we are grateful to Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Mayor Daniel Lurie for supporting our work during this time.” 

Additional details about timing, facilities, and programming will be announced as Vanderbilt finalizes its plans and works with the city on next steps.