LAVC Kicks Off Construction on a new Academic Complex building

College and District officials gather to break ground on the LAVC Academic Complex 1 project. (Pictured L to R: Pankow Construction Vice President Jack Mollenkoph, Ryan Ahari from Councilmember Nithya Raham's Office, LACCD Director of Bond Capital Constriction Ian Erhardt, LAVC President Dr. Barry Gribbons, LACCD Board 1st Vice President Nichelle Henderson, LACCD Vice Chancellor and Chief Facilities Executive Dr. Ruben Smith, LAVC ASU President Ani Ramazyan, LACCD Chancellor Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, and LAVC Dean Deborah diCesare.

Los Angeles Valley College and the Los Angeles Community College District officials held a groundbreaking for its brand-new $90 million academic complex classroom building. Students, faculty, staff and the community gathered on the former site of the college’s original 1950s post-war bungalows to celebrate the start of construction.

“On behalf of the LACCD Board of Trustees, we are thrilled with how this new academic complex will support and enhance student learning,” said Board of Trustees President David Vela. “This new building will not only provide essential services but will enable students to achieve their educational goals and dreams.”

The Academic Complex 1 will be a three-story 84,000 square foot academic building that will feature smart classrooms, computer labs, lecture hall, and a skills demonstration and test room. The new building will also house the academic offices for the Business Administration, Computer Science Information Systems, Emergency Services, Mathematics, Psychology/Statistics and Sociology/Ethnic Studies departments.

“The Los Angeles Community College District is committed to providing affordable, quality educational programs that will help students gain the skills for new careers,” said Dr. Francisco Rodriguez, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District. “I look forward to our next generation of entrepreneurs, computer programmers, firefighters, sociologists, and transfer students learning in this new state-of-the-art facility.”

“Situated along the one of the main thoroughfares of the Valley, this beautiful new instructional building will serve as beacon of opportunity,” said Dr. Barry Gribbons, president of LA Valley College. “The new campus entry and historic quad will further enhance the college’s engagement with our community.”

The project’s site improvements will include a redesigned historic quad that will share information on the native tribes in the region and the early history of our college, a 11,000 square-foot buried stormwater retention system, as well as new hardscape and drought tolerant landscaping.

The project is expected to be completed in 2025.

For more information, visit the Revitalizing Valley College page.