February 8, 2006

Turning over the ceremonial shovels at the groundbreaking were (back, L to R): Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Darroch "Rocky" Young; L.A. City College's Associated Students Organization President Michael Adams; District Trustees Nancy Pearlman and Kelly G. Candaele; Board of Trustees president Sylvia Scott-Hayes; L.A. City College President Steve Maradian; Trustee Georgia L. Mercer; Board of Trustees Vice President Michael D. Waxman; Trustee Mona Field; District Facilities Planning and Development Executive Director Larry Eisenberg; and (in front) Student Trustee Robyn M. Mims.

As part of its program to modernize and upgrade its campus, Los Angeles City College (LACC) today celebrated a groundbreaking for a new, sub-terrain parking structure and roof-top athletic field.

The new space-saving, multi-use two-story building will be competed in April 2007.

"This kind of building is a perfect design for an urban environment such as ours," said Dr. Steve Maradian, president of Los Angeles City College. "This new parking structure and athletic field will be a valuable asset to our campus, benefiting both LACC students and the surrounding community."

The new parking structure will accommodate more than 950 parking spaces, in addition to the campus' new LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Maintenance and Operations facility.

The roof of the parking structure will house the new athletic field for the campus, which will include a softball and soccer field in addition to an eight-lane track. The field will also accommodate other track and field sports, including pole vault, discus and shot put.

"This new structure is a good example of how our colleges are moving forward to meet our students' needs," said Darroch "Rocky" Young, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District. "Today is a positive start for the district. Within an 18 month period, all nine of our colleges will host major construction projects."

The parking and athletic structure is part of LACC's $248 million campus renovation and upgrade program to enhance and modernize its facilities. It is the first major construction project on campus in 26 years.

For more information, visit the construction program's website at www.PropositionA.org. The Los Angeles Community Colleges are committed to pursuing green and sustainable building solutions to the greatest extent possible as part of the District's $2.2 billion Proposition A/AA bond construction.