A different view for City College

By Karen A. Sanchez

A draft of the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) to revamp City College’s Ocean Campus was presented in a two-day workshop introducing changes the college expects to see in the next 10 years.

The draft considered the preferences of members from the college as well as the community, its main goal being to improve student studies. It was presented by member of City College’s Facilities Committee and tBP/Architecture, Inc.

“The students need to be a community of learners,” said Amy Jane Frater, a member of tBP/Architecture that worked on the design of the FMP.

In the workshop, Gary Moon, tBP president and director of design, explained step-by-step to the audience the changes that may occur with the current FMP.

       The FMP categorized building changes into new buildings, repurposed buildings and existing buildings; specific designs have yet to be discussed.

       Financial discussions in the form of many questions immediately followed the presentation. Participants were concerned not knowing where the money would come from to support such big changes.

       “It’s not an inexpensive plan, but it is necessary,” said Linda da Silva, associate vice chancellor and co-chair of the Facilities Committee.

       It has not yet been estimated how much money will be necessary or received for the project, but the committee said it would be dependent on bonds and grants.

The Science Building and Diego Rivera’s Pan-Unity Mural were discussed as well.

The FMP places mural adjacent to Phelan Avenue to display it to as many people as possible and give it more attention, as was decided in a previous meeting about the mural. The Science Building, one of City College’s most emblematic symbols, was decided by participants of the FMP to be modernized and repurposed.

Nine out of 19 existing buildings would be demolished and completely reconstructed, four buildings would be repurposed and five would stay the same.

       Every building’s construction would conform to the principles of sustainability required to meet the standards set by the California Green Building Standards Code.

“We would love to catch the wind,” said  Melinda Mueller, City College music teacher and member of the Facilities Committee, after discussing possible options to meet the CalGreen Code.

Questions and suggestions from workshop attendants continued, some of the most popular ones involving parking and department locations.

“We’re about meeting the needs,” said Karen Sheppard, an Ocean Campus bookstore employee.

The workshops lasted four hours each day throughout evenings and afternoons to accommodate as many people as possible.

       The next meeting will present the FMP to the Board of Trustees on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Multi-Use Building (MUB), Room 140.

       The FMP advisory working group will meet to discuss workshop results and board updates on Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. in MUB 357.

“I don’t think the conversation is over,” da Silva said. “The FMP is a preference draft that still needs work, mostly on details.”