With the Liberal Arts and Disabled Student Programs and Services Complex in current construction, Cerritos College has a lot of construction and renovation projects ahead for the upcoming semesters.
According to Director of Physical Plant and Construction Services David Moore, the Liberal Arts and DSP&S Complex will be completed the summer of 2014.
“That’s our big push this summer as far as construction goes,” he said.
Gaby Valencia, liberal arts major, is only in her first year at Cerritos College and says that she looks forward to taking classes in the new building.
Although she is looking forward to the finished product, she feels there is still a negative effect to construction on campus.
“I think it’s just harder to get to class on time, because (construction) is kind of in the way,” Valencia said.
Learning Resource Center roof
A renovation project that is coming up will be the re-roofing of the Learning Resource Center, which is the biggest building on campus with about 90,000 square feet.
The LRC will be accessible to students during the time of the renovation, except for the steps that lead to the top of the building and one classroom that is only accessible through the outside stairs.
Moore said, “(The LRC) really needs it, if you’ve every been inside, there’s multiple leaks.”
There may be some disruption during this renovation period, but most of the work will be done during the night time.
Moore said this process should go smoothly, and he hopes it is done by the time the fall 2013 semester starts, unless there are any delays.
He also added that the LRC will receive some mechanical fixes like new air conditioning.
Also receiving a renovation is the culinary arts kitchen.
New buildings
There are two buildings that are currently in what is called the “design development phase” which are the Fine Arts Building and the Math and Computer Science Building.
The Fine Arts Building has had some hands on attention during it’s design phase from members of the departments that will be in the new building.
The building will host the departments of arts and design, journalism and photography.
Fine arts instructor, and Curriculum Committee Chair, Richard Cameron has assisted in this process for most of the current school year.
Cameron feels that the current Fine Arts Building is “showing age” by having tiles sometimes fall from the ceiling, as well as poles extending from the ceiling to the floor to hold electrical wires.
“The first thing we will notice is we will have an up to date building. One that is built with computers and technologies in mind.” Cameron said.
2016 completion date
The Math and Computer Science Building will accompany the Fine Arts Building in construction during the Fall 2014 semester and will be occupied during January of 2016.
According to Cerritos College President Dr. Linda Lacy, there is still some construction in question, with the performing arts center, the falcon center and the business ed/language arts building.
There is still time to figure out if this project will be funded by the state or from a local bond.
Lacy is in hopes that it will be voted in during the November 2014 ballot, so the process of construction can begin.
With every new building, about 50 parking spaces will become available and according to Lacy by the time all construction is complete Cerritos College will have about 500 new parking spaces available.
Lacy also mentioned that with online course offerings, more students will be at home doing work for classes and not at the campus everyday, and eventually this will help a problem of crowded parking lots.
“(Parking is) a concern, but I think we are moving in the right direction to meet that need,” Lacy said.
