Orange Coast College Language Arts and Social Science Building Breaks Ground

COSTA MESA, CA – A recent groundbreaking took place for Orange Coast College’s (OCC) new $50-million Language Arts and Social Science Building. The three-story, 107,760-square-foot building is part of a larger initiative to modernize the campus and accommodate its rapidly expanding enrollment. It is expected to be complete in summer 2021.

Orange Coast College Language Arts Building

The Language Arts and Social Science Building’s first floor will house classrooms, labs, an English as a Second Language (ESL) computer lab and room, facilities for the Speech, Debate and Theater Team and a journalism newsroom. The second floor will be comprised of classrooms and connect to the existing Mathematics Business and Computer Center Building, while the third floor will encompass division and faculty offices. The building also will feature two elevators, a lactation room and gender-neutral restrooms on every floor.

The building is financed through a combination of funding from California Proposition 51 and Measure M, a $698-million general obligation bond provided to construct education facilities for Coast Community College District.

C.W. Driver is partnering with tBP Architecture on the project.

Featured

  • Cleveland High School Breaks Ground on Modernization

    Portland Public Schools in Portland, Ore., recently announced that construction has begun on a modernization project for Cleveland High School, according to a news release. The existing building will be replaced with a new, 300,000-square-foot facility at the same site.

  • RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. RIT Saunders College of Business's Lowenthal Hall Addition has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Lawrence Group Announces Three New Hires

    Integrated planning and design firm Lawrence Group, based in St. Louis, Mo., recently welcomed three new staff members, according to a news release.