A construction crew will begin renovating the 1000 building in late May if all goes according to the plans of Vice President of Academic and Student Services, Kevin Trutna. The total projected cost for construction is about $3.3 million, with 90 percent of the funding coming from the state and the remainder coming from the district.
While the remodel of the 1000 building is underway from May 2007 until at least January 2008, students and faculty will be displaced to temporary buildings, which will be erected on the tennis courts north of the West Parking Lot.
Trutna stated that the money for the 1000 building remodel came from Proposition 55, which was passed on March 2, 2004. He also said that the money is not as much as it used to be.
“Ten million dollars in 2004 is different than 10 million dollars in 2007,” Trutna said. “Think of buying a house, buying a $200,000 then to buying one now.”
Trutna continued, “Yes, things have gone up, the cost has gone up, and we have to scale back accordingly. So with the remodel project we do not have an unlimited budget.”
The 1000 building was constructed in the 1960s, so it has seen its share of wear, as well as problems in plumbing and wiring, over the decades. The remodel will bring many new modernizations designed to make the learning experience easier for students and teachers.
According to Trutna, “The heating and air conditioning will be upgraded, and the restrooms will become ADA accessible and up to current code.”
Trutna said that there will also be data and telecommunications in all of the classrooms. Yuba College will have a uniform look in terms of furniture and audio/visual equipment in all of the classrooms.
According to Trutna, the remodel will add new classrooms in the art department so the college will not have to co-mingle certain programs.
On January 31, the District Board of Trustees approved the remodel project to go to bid. On February 2, the bidding process went public. Different construction outfits are currently bidding for the project. In March, the lowest bidder will get the rights to the project.
The 1000 building will receive a total overhaul between May 2007 and January 2008. By August 10 the first phase, which involves the painting and sculpture rooms, should be finished.
At this time, it is unknown how many phases the construction will go through, but after the 1000 building is finished, the next projects are the library and the 500 building. “This could be a 10 year project”
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