Adrian Herrera/ Roundup
Redesigned entryways at Pierce College will feature new landscaping, lighting, signs and an all-new pedestrian corridor entrance on the corner of Winnetka Avenue and Victory Boulevard, according to Richard Nasr, project manager for Swinerton Management and Consulting.
According to Nasr, the corner of Winnetka Avenue and Victory Boulevard will also boast a brand new 7 ft. by 12 ft. digital marquee board, something similar as to what is directly across the street at West Valley Occupational Center.
“This will make the school stand out,” said 24-year-old Pierce student Joseph Rodriguez.
Nasr said the redesigned entryways on Mason Avenue and Winnetka Avenue will feature new “Pierce College” signs that will sit on recently constructed walls, which are outlined in stone. The signs will be illuminated at night.
“The new entryways give Pierce an identity as a college campus,” said assistant English professor Kim Manner. “It makes it look classier.”
According to Nasr, the entrances will also feature black steel gates with reflectors for nighttime. With water conservation being a crucial issue in Los Angeles, the redesigned
entrances will feature drought-resistant plants, which consume less water.
“We follow recommendations made from the Water Management Council,” Nasr said.
The pedestrian entrance on the corner of Winnetka Avenue and Victory Boulevard was also redesigned with a concrete walkway and outlined in trees, plants and lighting. The walkway leads students into the east side of campus, near the South Gym and Village.
“This is amazing access, especially for the rainy seasons,” said modern languages professor Fernando Oleas. “Before, the walkway was all grass, and when it rained my students would show up in shoes covered with mud. now we won’t have that.”
The new walkway also provides students with easy access to the Metro Orange Line, located on the same intersection.
“These are all positive things for our campus,” Oleas said. “This is an investment to accommodate.”
The construction cost is covered under Proposition A, passed in 2001, and Proposition AA, passed in 2003. Those measures have provided about $3 billion in repairs and improvements to the colleges of the Los Angeles Community College District, according to Swinerton.
Berliner and Associates designed the new entryways, which were constructed by Swinerton.
Swinerton is in charge of all construction on the Pierce campus. Construction began in June 2009 and is expected to be completed by the end of January 2010.
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