We Have Walls: Center is Taking Shape

Things are taking shape at 5040 Shoreham Place in San Diego. Walls are going up, and with them, a clearer picture of what the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California will become. What began as a building purchase and a bold vision is quietly, steadily becoming real.

For the team at UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego, it is a milestone worth marking. For years they have delivered world-class specialty care within a facility that has long since outgrown its capacity. Watching the new building take shape just across town, there is a growing sense that the next chapter is close.

Construction on the 23,000-square-foot facility is well underway, led by award-winning global architecture firm Safdie Rabines and premier builder Swinerton — both with deep roots in the San Diego area. UC Davis Design and Construction Management is overseeing the project, ensuring that every detail meets the exacting standards of the number one ranked veterinary school in the nation.

Safdie Rabines brings a portfolio of landmark Southern California projects to the build, while Swinerton brings a proven track record in healthcare and higher education construction, having recently completed UC Davis Health’s Surgery and Emergency Services Pavilion. In short — this building is in exceptional hands.

Seven Times the Space. Countless More Possibilities.

When the doors open in 2026, the existing UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego will move to the new Shoreham Place facility and become the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California — a space seven times larger than today’s clinic.

The new center will bring something genuinely new to Southern California: a fully integrated specialty and emergency veterinary hospital, offering 24/7 emergency and critical care alongside expanded specialty services including cardiology, medical oncology, surgery, internal medicine, radiology and diagnostic imaging, nephrology and advanced urology, and clinical pharmacy. It will also remain one of the very few centers in the country offering hemodialysis and renal replacement therapy for companion animals.

For pet owners across the region who have faced long drives or limited options for advanced care, this expansion means something profound — that the highest standard of veterinary medicine will be closer to home.

Made Possible by People Who Care

None of this would be possible without the extraordinary generosity of Janice K. Hobbs — a Southern California philanthropist, animal lover, and UC Davis donor whose transformative leadership gift made the purchase of the Shoreham Place building possible. The center bears her name as a testament to that vision.

But Jan Hobbs is not alone. Donors across the Southern California community have rallied behind this project, helping to ensure that the most innovative care and state-of-the-art equipment will be available for animals across the region and beyond. Philanthropic funding for the project has reached $110.5 million — a record for the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine — and the momentum continues to grow.

A Build Worth Following

With walls going up and construction progressing well, the finish line is in sight. The team is counting down — and so are the pets and families of Southern California who have been waiting for this.

We will continue to share updates as the build progresses. Follow along at hobbs.vetmed.ucdavis.edu and on our social channels @ucdavisvetmedsocal as we take this journey together.

Support the Center!

There are still opportunities to support the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California and help ensure that the most innovative care is available for every animal that needs it. To learn more, please visit hobbs.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/giving or contact Sasha Wirth at [email protected].