MiraCosta College Providing State-of-the-Art Facilities for Future Return of Students, Staff, and Faculty to Classrooms and Campuses

​Students and teachers may be engaged in primarily online learning for now, but construction and design activities underway throughout the MiraCosta Community College District are ensuring state-of-the-art facilities are ready when students are able to return to campus.

Construction projects are currently underway at MiraCosta’s Oceanside, San Elijo, and Community Learning Center (CLC) campuses. The projects include new state-of-the-art Student Services buildings for both San Elijo and the CLC. All of the projects are funded through MiraCosta’s capital improvement program using funds from Measure MM, a $455 million general obligation bond approved by voters in 2016 to modernize aging facilities and upgrade instructional technology.

“Students are why we are here, so it was important to us to have the new Student Services projects among our first for new construction,” said MiraCosta Facilities Director Tom Macias.

“Given what we are learning about indoor health and safety from the coronavirus pandemic, the design focus on improving the indoor air quality as an important health and wellness component for our students and instructors is even more important than ever before,” Macias added.

Construction of the $12.6 million Student Services Building at the CLC is on track to be completed in February 2021. The new 9,910 square foot Student Services Building will provide a student-centered facility that consolidates the study areas and socialization spaces, as well as staff space, in a single environment. The new building will provide an anchor for the new campus quad, which will encourage students to interact with the outdoor environments. The design will correct previous space deficiencies in office, Library, and instructional media spaces.

The project will include an events terrace, upgrades to the path of travel from Barnes Street to Student Services and the Quad, and extensive parking renovations. A new parking lot, built west of the existing building, will feature a series of bioswales—shallow, open, and typically vegetated channels with gently sloping sides that can be incorporated into landscapes to direct and slow storm runoff and promote pollutant removal. The project was designed by Lord Architecture, Inc. and Align Builders is serving as the general contractor.

Construction of an iconic new monument sign at the entryway to the CLC Campus has just been completed. The new structures, that light up in the evening, are intended to create an enhanced sense of arrival to the campus and provide clearer wayfinding for students and visitors. WLC Architects designed the project and Conan Construction served as the general contractor.

The renovation of the campus’ 100 and 200 buildings is expected to begin in January. The $13.4 million project will provide for the renovation of approximately 38,000 square feet of space in the two buildings, and will include modernizations to the previous location of the CLCs Student Services programs, as well as Academic Services, the Library, faculty offices, and the Adult Education program. Construction is targeted to be completed in early fall 2022. The renovation design is by SGPA Architecture & Planning and Align Builders is expected to be awarded the construction contract at the December 17 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Construction of the $13.9 million Student Services & Administration Building at the San Elijo Campus is on track for completion next month. The new 10,770 square foot facility will replace the existing, outdated Administration Building and allow for the consolidation of key Student Services into a single location, including Admission & Records, Financial Aid, and Counseling. Little Architecture serves as the architect and civil engineer for the project. Barnhart Reese Construction is serving as the general contractor.

Renovation of San Elijo’s Building 200 is wrapping up this month. The building, which offers classrooms and spaces for arts, dance, and music, is undergoing a $4.3 million full-building renovation that includes replacement of the building’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, new finishes, and new furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

The renovation of Building 100—San Elijo’s Library Building—is scheduled to begin later this month. The $5.8 million project will provide for the renovations of the Library, tutoring spaces, computer labs, AV/IT support spaces, offices, and restrooms. PBK Architecture provided the renovation design and Conant Construction will serve as the general contractor.

At the Oceanside Campus, construction is completing this month on a major renovation of the campus athletic field—with construction of a new Field House, a world-class soccer field, pedestrian ramp, ADA-compliant restrooms, and a California native species garden. The architect and landscape architect for the project is LPA, Inc. and Los Angeles Engineering has served as the general contractor.

Several Measure MM projects are in the design phase. These include the renovations of San Elijo’s 400 and 900 buildings, and a campus-wide underground utilities project. Design work is also underway for projects at the Oceanside Campus, including the new Allied Health Building, new Student Services Building, and new Gymnasium Building.

Overall program and construction management for the capital improvement program is provided by Kitchell Capital Expenditure Managers (CEM) Inc., in association with Element Consulting and Vic Salazar Communications.

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About MiraCosta College

The MiraCosta Community College District has served the coastal North San Diego County area for over 80 years. More than 21,000 credit students per semester in over 70 disciplines enroll in associate degrees, university transfer and workforce readiness certificate programs. The college also serves a wide spectrum of educational needs in the region ranging from programs for adult education, basic skills, and ESL to a California Community College pilot program offering the nation’s first baccalaureate degree in biomanufacturing. MiraCosta College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).