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 [email protected].

Featured

  • Compton High School

    Compton High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Compton High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.