College of the Desert Starts Construction on New Campus Location

College of the Desert recently announced that it has broken ground on its new Palm Springs campus in Palm Springs, Calif., according to a news release. The multiple-building campus consists of 175,000 square feet of new construction and will cost an estimated $268 million. The college is partnering with builder C.W. Driver Companies for the project’s construction, which is scheduled for completion in 2027.

The campus will span 27 acres. Its primary facility, The Accelerator, will serve students studying digital media and arts, architecture, and healthcare. Amenities in the facility will include technology labs and maker spaces, flexible classrooms, a film-screening studio, radio station, and café. Other campus facilities are set to include a culinary institute featuring specialized, state-of-the-art kitchen labs; an upscale restaurant, and support facilities, the news release reports.

“This project stands out not only for its sustainable design and technologically advanced learning spaces but also for its role in shaping the Coachella Valley as a hub for education, creativity, and community connection,” said Dave Amundson, Project Executive, C.W. Driver. “Our history of building complex higher education facilities in Southern California has prepared us well for this opportunity.”

Finally, the campus will feature an event center for community use, a maintenance and operations facility, a central utility plant, and a campus transportation and mobility hub. The campus is aiming for LEED Gold Certification; sustainability features will include on-site photovoltaic power generation and energy-efficient design, according to the news release.

The college also partnered with WRNS Studio for the project’s design.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Three U.S. Universities Install Acre Security Access Control Platform

    Cloud-native physical and digital security solutions company Acre Security recently announced that it has deployed its access control platform at three major universities in the U.S., according to a news release. Acre partnered with Atrium Campus to provide coverage for more than 69,000 students at the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University, and Rockhurst University.

  • Spaces4Learning Announces Winners of 2025 Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2025 Product Awards! The award program recognizes innovation and excellence in products that enhance learning environments in K–12 schools and institutions of higher education.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • ClassVR Wins Tech & Learning Best of Show at ISTELive 25

    Avantis Education recently announced that its flagship product, ClassVR, won the Tech & Learning Best of Show Award at ISTELive 25 in San Antonio, Texas, according to a news release. The program is designed to celebrate products that are “transforming education in schools around the world and that show the greatest promise for the industry,” and this is the fourth consecutive year that Avantis has claimed the award.

Digital Edition