Local Schools Rewarded for Outstanding Achievement

The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) and San Bernardino Valley College received the Project Management Award for the renovation of the San Bernardino Valley College business building from the Southern California Chapter of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA). The construction began in June 2012 and was completed in April, 2013. The award was presented to the SBCCD Board of Trustees at a recent board meeting by Michael Villegas, Senior Project Manager with Kitchell/BRj, which oversaw the construction project. Chancellor Bruce Baron noted, “The renovation of the business building at San Bernardino Valley College was a complex undertaking and the work of Kitchell/BRj was instrumental in the cost-effective, on time, efficient completion of the project. They successfully incorporated a substantial number of sustainable features, and the building has been submitted for LEED Silver certification. Our Board of Trustees has included sustainability as one of its priorities for all renovation and construction throughout the district, and virtually all of our new buildings reflect that commitment by the Board. This would not have been possible without the support of the community through the Measure M and P bonds, which allow us to maximize our resources as we design a sustainable learning environment for our students and employees.” The business building was originally built in 1960. Renovation required taking the building down to its skeletal frame. The modernized building is now fully ADA compliant, meets California seismic and structural regulations, accommodates the district’s needs for classroom and lecture spaces, boasts the latest A/V and Internet technology, and offers a professional conference center available to the local community. The $16 million project was funded through the Measure M Bond, which was passed by the voters in 2008. Among the projects funded by Measure M, Kitchell/BRj provided project and construction management services for the renovation and modernization of the building. Kitchell was originally tasked with providing Program Management services for the San Bernardino Community College District’s Measure M Bond program. The bond program was passed in 2008 and the SBCCD saw the available bond funds shrink by nearly half in the midst of the economic recession. The district and Kitchell worked together to eliminate non-essential projects from the master plan. They successfully identified opportunities for the SBCCD to save money and even offset costs so that much needed improvements to the San Bernardino Valley College campus, such as the business building, were not jeopardized. The new building balances aesthetic with function. It has flexible classroom spaces to accommodate a variety of classes from economics to English to humanities. The 19 new classrooms and lecture rooms are now fully compliant with ADA standards, can seat between 36 and 40 students, and feature updated audio visual and IT equipment. A teleconference space has been equipped with webcams to stream courses online. The building also has 13 faculty offices and 6 computer labs. Students studying computer science and network architecture will be able to gain hands-on learning in the first-of-its-kind Cisco Systems demonstration lab. Glass walls replaced much of the solid concrete to make better use of natural light and connect the interior of the building with the outside environment. A metal cladding system was used to cover brick and concrete, and create a modern façade that complements the overall aesthetic of the campus. An entry canopy was added to redefine the entrance to building. Colors, materials and landscaping were all selected specifically to be contextual and consistent with the campus-wide improvements. Sustainable features of the building include low VOC materials, low-water-use bathrooms, and a Daylighting Control System that adjusts electrical light throughout the day based on available natural light. Existing landscaping has been replaced with drought tolerant, low-water-use native plants. In addition, the college has a 2,700-square-foot professional conference facility that can be used by the school as well as the surrounding community. The space, which can be segmented into three smaller spaces of varying sizes, includes a catering kitchen and the latest audio/visual technology. The district plans to use the conference center as a way to build relationships between local businesses and the college, and create networking opportunities for students. SBCCD is one of 72 community college districts within the California Community College system, the largest educational system in the world, which encompasses 112 community colleges. The district has an 87 year history of providing its community and students with quality and affordable vocational certificates, associate’s degrees, and preparation for transfer to a four year college or university through San Bernardino Valley College and Crafton Hills College. In addition, the Economic Development and Corporate Training Division and KVCR TV-FM provide professional development and cultural and educational information to the community at large.