In June 2016 the voters of the Chabot-Las Positas College district approved a $950 million bond issue. The bond issue was promoted to the voters as needed for safety and classroom updates, improving facilities for veterans and those with disabilities and retrofitting buildings
A few minor projects from Measure A are in progress or complete, namely replacement of the audiovisual equipment in room 2420andof the soccer field artificial turf, Mediation/Prayer room in building 2400, locker replacement in the PE complex, tutoring center furniture replacement and upgraded security lighting in parking lots A and F and along the Loop Road.
The next few years students and faculty will start seeing major impacts of the Measure A Bonds.
Owen Letcher, Vice Chancellor of the Facilities and Bond Program of the Chabot-Las Positas College District stated, “The LPC campus has a lack of laboratory space for the number of classes taught using the hands on approach to learning. These classrooms/lab spaces are impacted during the critical hours of the day for instruction and the Facilities department receives requests every year to convert additional space to the lab instructional format.” A LPC Master Plan, titled Las Positas College 2018 Facilities Master Plan was approved by the CLPCCD board in July 2019. Copies of the plan is available at: http://www.clpccd.org/bond/LPC/lpcFacilitiesMasterPlan.php
The first major project will be replacement of existing buildings 2100 and 2200 with a new building 2100. The new building will have additional classrooms, a new Tutoring Center room for Computer Studies program, Library shared space and Faculty offices.
Currently building 2100 houses faculty offices; building 2200 classrooms. Before existing building 2100 can be demolished so the new building 2100 can be built a temporary faculty office complex will be made in Parking lot G.
The plans for building 2100 need to be submitted for approval to the LPCCD Board of Trustees. Once approved by the board it will go to the Division of the State Architect in July 2020.
The Division of the State Architect is the permitting agency for California Community College and will likely return comments to the plans and the District and A/E hope to have approval to move forward with construction in spring 2021.
At this point they are planning the start of construction on site for June 2021 following the completion of the spring semester. Construction should take about 2 years.
Building 2100 will be integrated with the library so that it will be easily accessible to faculty and staff members.
Other major buildings planned using Measure A bond funds are a Public Safety Complex/Advanced Manufacturing Center, an AG Science Horticulture Project and an AG Science Viticulture Project.
The Public Safety and Advanced Manufacturing complex will be relocated to near the existing sports field. The Public Safety building will house the Fire Technology, Administration of Justice and Emergency Medical Services. This project also includes outdoor space to house fire vehicles and outdoor lab space with the addition of a fire tower.
The Advantage Manufacturing and Transportation Building will house the Automotive Program and the Welding programs. The outdoor area will have repair bays with lifts and an outdoor welding yard.
The Horticulture Program will also have a new building and area for growing plants near the sports field. The horticulture complex will have a classroom building and a new greenhouse.
The Public Safety, Advanced Manufacturing and Horticulture projects are in the construction document preparation phase. The designs have been finalized, but construction is a few years away. The budget for these first Measure A projects is $126 million dollars.
The Viticulture complex will be located on Campus Hill Drive. The complex will include facilities for making wine and a new Visitor Center tasting room. In August 2019 the LPC Foundation received a license to sell the LPC wine which will allow the tasting room.
The Viticulture Complex is in the Design phase. No construction dates are known as there many variables that can affect the construction dates. These variables include getting plans approved by the state, obtaining permits, drafting a contract and putting the contract out for bids and funding constraints.
Other projects in the Master Plan include a new Arts and Science building to replace buildings 400, 500. 600 and 800. A new student center will replace buildings 700, 1300 and 1310. The student center is planned to have a student union space, health center, bookstore and veterans center. These projects are planned for the future.
In February 2019 LPC held an open house for students, faculty and staff members to review the draft master plan. The most made comment was that the plans did not add any new substantial amount of parking. A few new parking lots are planned for the new complexes, but no other parking lots or increased parking is proposed.
Information about no new parking lot can be found at: https://lpcexpressnews.com/news/plans-unveiled-for-new-950-million-building/
A previous bond issue, measure B, was approved in March 2004 for $498 million. The final major project from Measure B bonds was new classroom building 1000 which was completed in 2018.
Per the Investopedia website:
“A bond is a fixed income instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower (typically corporate or governmental). A bond could be thought of as an I.O.U. between the lender and borrower that includes the details of the loan and its payments. Owners of bonds are debtholders, or creditors, of the issuer. Bond details include the end date when the principal of the loan is due to be paid to the bond owner and usually includes the terms for variable or fixed interest payments made by the borrower. “
The district has sold $160 million in bonds so far as the bonds are only sold when needed to fund the various project. The bonds have a coupon rate (amount paid to investor) of 5% and a maturity date of 2027.
Both measure A and B bond issues required a Citizens Oversight Committee to ensure that the bond money was used as required. Patrick Lofft, The Citizen Oversight committee reports that there are no issues with the way the bond money is being spent. Between the district staff, college staff, Board of Trustees and an annual audit the projects are well reviewed prior to start of construction.
The LPC campus will have a new look when the master plan is fully completed.
Alan Lewis is the photo editor of The Express. Follow him @alolewis1.
