Photo: The $50 million renovation is intended to solidify the ECC’s role as an educational bridge and partner for the community at large.
By Lindsey Coulter
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the revitalization of the institution’s Educational Cultural Complex (ECC). Located in the heart of the San Diego Community College District’s (SDCCD) College of Continuing Education campus, the ECC is recognized as a cultural hub. The institution has tapped national interdisciplinary design firm HGA, to reimagine the ECC Theatre as a dynamic campus center that will propel the public community college district into the future.
As one of Southeastern San Diego’s only centers for education and arts—and the headquarters for the SDCCE—the renovation is intended to solidify the ECC’s role as an educational bridge and partner for the community at large. The $50 million project is being funded through a $35 million state grant, supplemented by the recently passed Measure HH bond. The project team also includes construction manager PCL Construction, community engagement and exhibition consulting firm JUST Design, theatrical design firm The Shalleck Collaborative and acoustician Beckmann Acoustics.
In May, leaders from HGA, PCL Construction and other project partners celebrated the beginning of construction, which will encompass approximately 30,000 square feet of new and existing spaces. The project is targeted for completion by the end of 2026.
SDCCE President Dr. Tina M. King, Ed.D., noted in a statement that the Educational Cultural Complex Theatre has been a cornerstone of arts and culture for nearly 50 years, serving as a hub for creativity, education and community while telling the stories that matter most to the diverse community.
“This renovation is not just about restoring a building; it’s about honoring a rich legacy and investing in a future where the arts continue to thrive and serve our community for decades,” King said.
The project’s scope—shaped by extensive community engagement—includes the modernization of the historic theatre, including an addition of back-of-house spaces critical to the function of a modern performance venue; the conversion of a large, double-height space into a new community room and “Living Archive” cultural center to preserve and share the theatre’s legacy; the integration of a versatile Golden Age Gallery in the upper lobby; and miscellaneous upgrades to adjacent indoor and outdoor common areas, entries and foyers. Renovations and additions throughout are designed to meet current building codes as well as improve overall sustainability, accessibility and wayfinding to enhance an equitable and comfortable user experience.
Photo Credit (all): HGA
The project’s core components are intermingled and connected by common spaces that bring fluidity between the larger volumes within the complex and create smaller, more adaptable program components for future flexibility and growth. As an additional point of connectivity, the complex is brought together with a “sky sleeve” design feature, a sculptural ceiling canopy that weaves throughout a majority of the building’s spaces.
“The sky sleeve is both symbolic and functional,” said Matt Austin, AIA, NCARB, design principal at HGA, in a statement. “It’s symbolic in that it emphasizes the story and the history of the community through its continuity and adaptation to modern design, and functional in that it hides key performance infrastructure and introduces a sense of lightness to soften and complement the building’s rigid geometry, making it feel warm and welcoming to all community members.”