Samantha Toder
A meeting for the finalized plan of the new budget for construction will be on Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the College Services Building Conference Room. At this meeting the Pierce College Council and voters will finalize the construction plan and present it to the President.
A meeting to revise the money given to Pierce to remodel was on Sept. 16.
A $47 million cut has to fit into the new plan, cutting projects proposed with the intention of creating a better atmosphere for students, teachers and faculty. This new plan will be handed over to the college president for any final decisions. Suggestions were welcome and the committee was open to all requests.
PCC members and voters discussed and made a new plan for the Bonds that were given to the school almost three years ago. Currently, they are exploring the potential impact of canceling construction plans for the $8 million Child Development Center and $30 million Technology Building, in which case an additional $9 million would need to be cut. At the meeting, the impact of halting construction on certain buildings, temporarily or otherwise, was analyzed.
In 2001 and once again in 2003, voters passed Propositions A and AA, giving Pierce College a bond for $272.5 million. Sources say it took over three years just to find designers and a construction team to take on the project. Once everything was drafted, it turned out that costs increased due to natural disasters and political affairs. Factory construction in China is driving up the cost of cement and steel in the rest of the world. “There is shortage in supply, demand is high and costs are up,” said Mike Cornner, director of marketing and public relations.
One of the five proposed scenario is to build all studied projects. These include North of Mall, South of Mall, the Village, which would be an interim complex similar to that built by CSUN after the 1994 earthquake, and Sheriff’s Substation. Also being considered are a Technology Center, Campus-Wide Utilities, Student Services Building, Center for Sciences and a new permanent Child Development Center.
Four other scenarios were proposed with different selections of buildings to potentially be constructed or upgraded. All scenarios were reviewed and voted on by the members and council.
“The $47 million wasn’t taken away. The $47 million was taken away from the economy. As the construction costs went up supplies to build new buildings were higher in demand,” said James Rikel, chairman of the life sciences department. Most classrooms just need to have improved utilities, said Rikel.
On Sept. 30. the PCC will have a second meeting for the month with a finalized plan for the budget.
Concerns have arisen regarding the possible effects of the construction, especially since Pierce has an enrollment rate of more than 18,000 students.
“Yes, students and faculty will be effected by this project,” says Cornner. “This will change where we park and move around the campus.”
Hurricane Katrina is another factor in costs, as rebuilding New Orleans has put construction supplies in high demand and caused an increase in prices on them. Pierce will, however deal with the problems of cost as they come.
Campus Utilities is a big issue that has to be done. Without these utilities other projects may not function as well as they can. The council came to an agreement and went forth with the Campus Utilities project. This also included electrical distribution and water with a current budget of $34 million. Projects on the master plan include North of the Mall, which is a priority project for Pierce. Costs per building were $96 per square feet, and is now $125 per sq. ft. With each building being over 107,000 sq. ft., these new costs are a damage to the college.
Pierce is considering renovations over rebuilding to fit this $47 million cut back.
Swing space for South Projects includes all of the bungalows.
“Some of these buildings are The Roundup, Nursing, Electronics and the Job Center,” said Rikel. “Labs are the most important part of this college. Students learn from the laboratories and information that we supply for them will help students in their future. Especially, the Science center. Over 10 percent will go on to medical school and the tools that they learn at Pierce should be the best that they can be.”
The plan is said to be finished no later than Fall 2008.