Riverside Community College District Completes $29.3M Renovation Project

Riverside City College recently announced the completion of a $29.3-million renovation project, according to a news release. The college partnered with Nineteen Six Architects and builder C.W. Driver Companies to convert a 1960s-era academic building into a new Business, Law, and Computer Information Systems Building. The project created 34,055 square feet of new learning space and took about 18 months to complete.


Ohoto courtesy of C.W. Driver Companies

Work involved demolishing all interior spaces to create new classrooms, conference rooms, testing centers, computer labs, and a multipurpose room, the news release reports. The site formerly consisted of a two-story classroom building and four-story service tower. The retrofit united the two structures via an addition on the upper level that also made space for a lobby and main entry, circulation spaces, meeting rooms, and open study spaces.

“This is our second project with the Riverside Community College District in the last couple of years. Previously we worked on the Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center at Moreno Valley College,” said Dave Amundson, C.W. Driver Companies Project Executive. “It’s another example of a repeat client that we work to grow a long-term relationship with us through new projects.”

The addition’s lower level features storefronts that provide additional interior access between the two buildings. Further new amenities include courtroom lecture space, a Cyber Security Lab, a Network Operation Center, and space for computer servers. The project was also designed according to LEED Gold Certification, the news release reports.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.