The University of California, Irvine (UCI) developed a new phase of graduate student housing at the Verano Housing Complex. This project improved UCI's ability to serve its growing graduate student population by providing affordable housing and satisfying graduate student housing guarantees. Verano Unit 8 provides a unique and student-centered housing community for its residents, focused on building community amongst graduate students, and providing amenities for all of Verano Housing. The University used the design-build approach for this project to bring the best available design and construction experience and expertise together to work with the University as a team, and to successfully meet the requirements of this project. What made this project’s design and construction unique was the fact that there was an 84 in diameter storm drain that bisected the project site and had to be dealt with. During the construction phase, maintaining this 84 in line posed some unique construction issues.