Los Angeles Valley College Breaks Ground on Academic Complex

Los Angeles Valley College in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Academic Complex Building in conjunction with Los Angeles Community College, according to local news. The 84,000-square-foot, three-story structure will replace a facility from the 1950s and include a lecture hall, computer labs, smart classrooms, and a skills demonstration and test room.

It will also play home to administrative space for the college’s departments of business administration, computer science information systems, emergency services, mathematics, psychology and statistics, and sociology/ethnic studies. Improvements to the overall site are set to include an 11,000-square-foot below-ground stormwater retention system, new pavement, and drought-tolerant landscaping.

The project has an estimated completion date of 2025, according to local news.

“We are happy with how this new facility will support and improve students’ learning,” said Board of Trustees President David Vela. “In addition to offering necessary services, the new structure will help students fulfill their educational aspirations. The Los Angeles Community College District is devoted to giving students access to high-quality, affordable educational opportunities. This will prepare them for new job paths.”

The San Fernando Valley Sun reports that the project will cost about $90 million in total.

The project, Academic Complex 1, is part of a larger $704-million renovation and building campaign to renovate its existing facilities and build new, more sustainable ones. Existing academic buildings will be outfitted with new technology and more modern energy-efficiency standards, according to the university website.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.

Featured

  • dormitory with green roofs, solar panels, balconies, and labeled architectural annotations

    2025 Residence Hall Design Trends Focus on Sustainability, Flexibility, Community, Technology, and Well-Being

    With the most technically advanced Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) at the helm, residence hall design trends for 2025 look to focus on flexible spaces, health and wellness, sustainability, community, and digital technology.

  • California High School Debuts $35M Performing Arts Center

    Irvine High School in Irvine, Calif., recently opened its new Performing Arts Center built in partnership with C.W. Driver Companies, according to a news release. The facility cost $35 million and covers about 25,000 square feet.

  • Image courtesy of MiEN Company

    6 Ways to Pull Off a Major District Construction Project

    Designing and building a large-scale project on a K–12 campus is a monumental undertaking that requires the right blend of ideas, funding, design and execution to get it right. The process also relies on multiple partners, each of which has to handle its respective aspect of the project while also keeping the district’s broader mission and goals in mind.

  • New Campus Stadiums Evolve Beyond Sports into Community Assets

    New campus planning documents reveal an abundance of high interest in new stadiums, or renovations and repurposing projects for existing facilities. Many universities, in fact, are developing campus complexes with new stadiums as a draw for retail, hotels, and student housing. Multipurpose facilities with high-end features are being designed to attract large sports events of various types, concerts, and other university functions.