Facilities status update
The Board of Trustees was presented updates regarding projects receipts, projects approvals and projects under current construction, in the meeting agenda held Feb. 28 under the Reports Section 7.
These reports include updates of the three campuses: Saddleback, Irvine Valley College and ATEP. This is a follow up to a list of projects the trustees received for consideration in 2004 for local funding. Projects are funded from two different sources, Basic Aid and State Chancellor’s.
At Saddleback there are eight construction projects being reported with the most costly being the sciences building, having an anticipated budget of almost $59 million. It is followed by the Math Sciences and Engineering building, which has an overall budget of $30 million, and the James B. Library Remodel with a budget of $21.1 million.
The other five being under $10 million are the loop road, MSE building plaza renovation, village expansion project, bridge replacement project, and the district IT server room renovation.
Regarding the sciences building, the FPP was re-submitted to the state chancellor’s office to compete for funding and has required the district to include its 2012-2013 fiscal year. Carol Hilton, Director of College Fiscal Services at Saddleback, expressed her gratitude to the board of trustees and the chancellor for approving the funding for the building.
“The learning resource center renovation also will be completed for occupancy beginning 2012. These are two much needed and welcome facilities for our students,” Hilton said.
While renovation and schedule maintenance remains an issue on the campus, all the entities involved are working to develop a 20-year maintenance plan and to look for the corresponding funding.
The MSE division has re-submitted its final project proposal twice to the State Chancellor’s Office and the latter asked the District to re-submit for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.
Regarding the library remodel, abatement is completed along with the demolition and placing of the final furniture and equipment. Construction on overheads and in-wall installation continue in all three floors. Steel erection for stairways and curtain wall system are still in process.
The Loop Road project was approved in March 2009 by the Board and its design was also approved by the city. The project team met with City of Mission Viejo and the Army Corp of Engineers in February 2010 in order to plan drainage and discharge. Its budget has been approved at a cost of $7.9 million.
Meanwhile, IVC projects that have achieved their stage of completion are: the Performing Arts Center and Parking Lot 5 Extension, the Business Sciences and Technology innovation center and the B-200 science lab annex and B-239 remodel. The board approved the Barranca entrance budget of $2.8 million. Other projects such as the fine arts building and Great Lawn project will be delayed. The first one due to uncompleted funding and the latter after its contractor declared bankruptcy.
The ATEP campus was completed for fall 2008. All windows were tested for water tightness with a 62 percent failure rate. 99 percent of the repairs were completed with the contractor claiming incapability of finalizing the one percent. The one percent will be taken care of by a separate contractor who has requested revision of the previously submitted orders.
ATEP building demolition will have its second phase demolition in November 2011.
The Valencia Loop Road needs a monument sign that reflects the city’s monument sign on the opposite corner. Communication with the city of Tustin is in process in order to obtain the sign.