With a new cafeteria, book store, and student lounge on campus, Skyline students still have much to look forward to as construction plans for new buildings in 2010 and 2011.

The normal construction process involves hiring an architect to design the building, then putting the design out to bid to see who will build it at the best price. Once you have found your builder, construction can begin. This is known as the design, bid, and build process. However, the district allowed Skyline to go through an expedited process in which a proposal is put out to find a team of architects and builders, making the process quicker and easier. The firm that was hired through that process was Hansel and Phelps Construction.

The construction is set in waves. This process allows the resources permitting construction to be focused, rather then spread out amongst multiple projects at once. They are also referred to as Capitol Improvement Plans (C.I.P.). These plans are available to anyone on the Skyline website.

“Right now we’re in the process of finishing up the tail end of the last wave of work,” said Skyline College President Victoria Morrow.

This includes the renovation of building seven. This building will open in the spring semester of 2009 and serve as Skyline’s health and sciences building. Another project currently underway is the renovation of the Facility Maintenance Center, a building used by the campus grounds keepers.

Further plans for construction include the creation of building four. This building will be located behind the library and will serve a variety of purposes. For starters, it will have a multicultural center with office space for learning communities. It will also house administration offices, seven to eight general purpose classrooms, and a new area for the cosmetology program.

Students in the cosmetology program cheerfully clamored for the creation of their new home, finding these choice words about the old Pacific Heights building:

“It’s dirty. There’s mold. Spores. No circulation, and we work with chemicals all day.” said Cosmetology President Kelly Moreno.

Their new building will offer more room and upon completion the program will be expected to double. They will also be opening a model saloon in the new building.

“Model saloon is for model students that get to work in their own environment,” Instructor Laurie Biaji said. “They get to work in their own environment and they get to do all their own books, register clients, take payments from their clients, like they’re in a saloon.”

As they did with building six, there will be an inscription on building four. What is printed on the building could be in your hands. If you are interested you can submit your favorite quotes for consideration by email to Linda [email protected] or you can drop off your written submission in one of the Building 4 Inscription Proposal boxes located around campus.

Also on the agenda for future construction is an additional small building that will be for the auto program, as well as renovations to buildings one and two. Furthermore, there are plans to remodel the quad. It will offer more accessibility for the disabled as well newer landscaping. Groundbreaking for these projects will begin next semester. Eventually, when all the construction is done the pacific heights area will be turned into a parking lot.

Along with more construction, the building brings more opportunity to accommodate different people for different reasons.