Natasha Aliabadi / Roundup
The Center for the Sciences is scheduled to finish construction June 30, according to Andrew Ramsay, one of two deputy directors in charge of the project.
Swinerton Management and Consulting is employed by Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) and is the company that oversees all the construction projects done on Pierce’s campus.
Their offices are located at the corner of parking lot 8 across from the agriculture sciences building.
According to Ramsay they “manage and facilitate the process.” The company does not design or do construction for any project.
The Center for the Sciences has been under construction since 2007 and plans to open for students at the start of fall semester 2010; but the building will be open for staff to occupy starting August 2.
The center will house departments of physics, chemistry, life sciences, nursing, veterinary technology, planetary sciences and geology.
It will also feature faculty offices and lecture halls for various uses.
“It is not a simple building. It has state of the art technology,” said Ramsay. He described the process as challenging since the building is bigger and more complicated.
Although students are not involved in the project, certain professors are needed to “approve the design documents.”
Swinerton Management continuously meets and works with the user group (the task force of professors).
Professor Izzy Goodman is the Chair of the Chemistry Department.
“The building will have the latest in technology and safety features, including a teaching planetarium. Each room will be equipped with state of the art audiovisual and computer equipment,” said Goodman.
According to Goodman, instructors will be using a touch panel which will allow them to easily switch between computer presentation, Internet access, DVDs and much more.
Swinerton Management and Consulting is also currently supervising many other projects on campus such as construction on the Mall as well as the Child Development Center.
According to Ramsay, the Mall is scheduled to be completed by the end of this summer. And the Child Development Center is nearly finished.
“Pierce’s campus will change dramatically,” said Ramsay.
In addition to the building for the Center of the Sciences, the landscape surrounding the building will also be somewhat of a teaching tool; it is designed for “climate appropriate plants.”
A beautiful view of the courtyard and Switzer Park can be seen from the second floor of the building.