L.A. Community College District Continues Multibillion Dollar Expansion

LOS ANGELES — More than $35 million in planned projects entered the construction stage for two Los Angeles Community College campuses.

The LACCD Board of Trustees approved more than $24.3 million in construction contracts for two new buildings at the Harbor campus, and officials with Valley College broke ground on an $11.2 million child and family complex.

The projects are part of a $2.2 billion construction and renovation program taking place at all nine of the district’s campuses. The program is being funded by Proposition A/AA, a resident-approved bond measure passed in 2001 and 2003.

Projects in progress under the multibillion dollar program include a $121,000 walkway repair project at Pierce College, a $929,000 renovation of Mission College’s instructional building, a $1.2 million modernization plan for Valley College’s business and journalism building, a new $31.5 million science and technology building at Los Angeles City College and a $77.8 million environmentally sustainable addition to the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

Several projects are in the bidding stage at the City, East, Harbor Mission, Pierce, Trade and Valley campuses.

The new 17,257-square-foot child development center planned for Harbor College will be managed by G-2000 Construction, of Agoura Hills. The company was awarded a $6.27 million contract to oversee demolition of the existing child development center, construction of the new wood-frame center, infrastructure hardscape and landscape work.

Upon completion, the facility will serve approximately 90 pre-K children and further the district’s goal to provide improved child development facilities for students pursuing careers related to the field and students with children.

As part of the district’s commitment to green building, the center will incorporate sustainable design elements with the goal of achieving LEED certification. Green features will include the use of recycled low- and no-VOC materials and a central plant designed to reduce cooling and heating costs and energy use for the campus. The plant will draw power from the grid at night, when demand is low and prices are reduced.

The new wellness center will be constructed by local general contracting firm Ford EC Inc. for $13.9 million. Work will include construction of a one-story, 47,000-square-foot facility with a gym, wellness/weight room and locker rooms. The center will also feature exercise rooms, classrooms, office space, a therapy pool, an adaptive physical education room and a trainer’s room.

Projects in the Bid Phase at LACCD’s Campuses • Los Angeles City College Monroe Street Plaza Student Lounge • East Los Angeles College Southgate Parking • Los Angeles Harbor College New Child Development Center Physical Education Wellness Center Physical Sciences Building • Los Angeles Mission College Family and Consumer Studies Building • Pierce College Animal Science Facilities Exhibition & Events Center Physical Education Facilities • Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Campus-Wide Improvements • Los Angeles Valley College Child Development Center General Projects Construction Projects Under Way at LACCD • Los Angeles City College Child Development Center Franklin Hall Martin Luther King Jr. Library • East Los Angeles College Academic Network Integrated Backbone Baum Center General Campus Improvements • Los Angeles Harbor College Northeast Academic Building Student Services Center • Los Angeles Mission College Campus Improvements Campus-Wide Infrastructure • Pierce College Campus Improvements Center for the Sciences • Los Angeles Southwest College Campus Improvements Central Plant • Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Building Restoration and Modernization • Los Angeles Valley College Allied Health and Sciences Center • West Los Angeles College Campus Improvements General Classroom

Heating and cooling will be provided by a combination of the on-campus central plant and roof-mounted air-handling units. Campus security will also be housed in the facility.

At Los Angeles Valley College, district and school officials held a groundbreaking for new 26,000-square-foot complex that will house three child-development divisions.

The child development center, child development department and family resource center will be located under the same roof but will provide different functions, according to school officials. Each department will have a separate entrance and distinct facilities, however, the integrated layout will form a single courtyard for children, students and staff members.

The family resource center will focus on training early childhood workers and providing family support services for students, staff, faculty and community member with young children.

Approximately 192 children will be served at the child development center. The new facility will replace the existing children’s center, which opened in 1945 and started with 30 children.

Susan Carleo, acting president at Los Angeles Valley College, participates with a group of children at a groundbreaking ceremony for the $11.2 million child and family complex.