Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

MiraCosta College Completes $42.5M Chemistry, Biotechnology Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/24/25

MiraCosta College in Oceanside, Calif., recently finished construction on a new, $42.5-million Chemistry and Biotechnology Building, according to a news release. The university partnered with builder C.W. Driver Companies and HED Architects on the 20,630-square-foot facility, which will serve the school’s expanding STEM programs.

The new facility includes shaded outdoor gathering spaces that connect to the larger STEM quad, as well as covered porches and screened study spaces to encourage outdoor collaboration. The interior uses high-efficiency fixtures, eco-friendly materials, and sustainable finishes that integrate with the surrounding campus. The building was designed to meet LEED Silver certification standards, according to the news release.

“This is a significant milestone for MiraCosta College as we officially open the doors to the new Chemistry and Biotechnology Building,” said MiraCosta College Project Manager Joe Webber. “The world is facing challenges that will require innovative solutions, and STEM education will play a vital role in shaping the future. This facility provides our students and faculty with the tools, technology, and resources they need to explore, innovate, and make meaningful contributions to these fields.”

Amenities include modern instructional and lab spaces designed to meet industry needs and provide students with practical skills.

“We are proud to have collaborated with MiraCosta College on delivering this transformative facility,” said Andy Feth, C.W. Driver project executive. “Designed with sustainability, innovation, and student success in mind, this building represents our ongoing commitment to creating high-quality, future-ready educational spaces.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.

  • St. Lucie County, Fla., Breaks Ground on New K–8 School

    St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie County, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new K–8 school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., for the design of the upcoming Ft. Pierce K–8 School, which comprises six buildings covering 215,000 square feet.

  • 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.