Archive for Construction – Page 3

NEW ELECTRONIC SIGN ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS REPLACING OLDER SIGN IS UP AND RUNNING

Still no word on efforts at creating improved signage for Verde Campus

The final work has been completed by Yavapai  Community College on a new electronic sign near the entrance to the Prescott Campus off Sheldon Street.  The new sign replaces the older electronic sign that had been in place for a few years.  The cost of the new replacement has not been disclosed.

There is still no word on what progress, if any, has been made to purchase land and create an electronic sign near Black Hills Drive and 89A. That sign  would direct persons to the Verde Campus by taking  Black Hills Drive.  It is a sign that Verde Valley Community College supporters have been seeking to encourage the College to build for a decade or more. 

Photo of new sign from July 2020 Facilities Management newsletter.  Photo of older sign by Blog.

ADVANCED CTE MANUFACTURING SECTION OF BUILDING “L” NEARING COMPLETION ON VERDE CAMPUS

Should be ready for fall classes

Construction crews are nearing completion of the Career and Technical Education manufacturing section of Building “L” on the Verde Campus in Clarkdale.  Although most of the newly remodeled building is given over to healthcare training, there is one section set aside for Career and Technical Education in what the College describes as the advanced manufacturing area.

Construction on the section should be completed by the beginning of the fall 2020 semester.

Posted below is a photo of the construction (from June Facilities Management Newsletter) as of June 2020.  Also posted below is an advertisement from last year of a Community College advertisement (from Facebook)  suggesting the areas taught at the CTEC  College facility at the Prescott  airport that involved advanced manufacturing.

NEW TECHNICAL THEATER TO BE ADDED TO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS

Exact cost unclear; believed funds from Yavapai Community College Foundation to finance project; College searching for Technical Theater instructor

The Community College is on the verge of constructing a “technical theater” as an addition to the Performing Arts Center.  In June, it had assembled construction documents and was seeking to price the capital improvement project. 

The “technical theater” will involve enclosing the area outside the Green Room at the Performing Arts Center. The Blog notes that In September 2018 the Green Room was remodeled with new flooring and millwork replacement.

 The goal is to begin construction of the “technical theater” sometime in July 2020. The funds for  the project, it is believed, will be provided by the Yavapai Community College Foundation.

The Blog also notes that the College is now searching for a “technical theater” instructor who will be responsible for the technical theater educational programs and supervision of the technical theater program activities.  Salary range is from $50,433 – $64,380 for twelve months.

Sketches of the future “technical theater” appear below.

VIDEO SHOWS OFF RESULTS OF MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN PERFORMING ARTS ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS SINCE DECEMBER 2012

State-of-the-art space for music, design, acting, dance stagecraft and much more

Back in 2012 the Yavapai Community College Governing Board approved expending around $1.3 million on Campus development over a ten-year period.  At the time, over 95% of the expenditures were intended exclusively for improving Community College facilities located on the west side of the County.

 Over the years, the College reduced the amount it would spend to around $60 million but maintained focus on the west side facilities.  The Verde Valley was pretty much ignored.

 While the new administration under the direction of Dr. Lisa Rhine has taken a new and refreshing view of the Verde Valley and its resource needs , the decisions made since 2012 by former President Penelope Wills for developing the Prescott Campus and the facilities on the west side of the County are now completed or nearing completion.

 Two of those facilities are the Arts Department and upgrading the Performing Arts Center.  It  cost millions of dollars over the past decade to renovate and construct these new facilities. Most of the revenue to pay for these projects  came from all the taxpayers in the County via their primary taxes.  

A very short video tape (see below) released by the College shows off its new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Department space on the Prescott Campus. 

The Department will offer classes in its new space in choral and instrumental music, music theory, vocal and instrumental ensembles, costume and make up design, acting, musical theater, dance, stagecraft, and much more!  

Video copied from Yavapai Community College Facebook post (minor editing).

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON SOCCER FIELD AT PRESCOTT CAMPUS

Preliminary grading, earth moving now underway

Construction has begun on the multi-use soccer field on the Prescott Campus.  Heavy grading equipment is being used to construct a 160’ x 230’ field.

All of the costs of the project, according to Yavapai College, are being paid by the Yavapai Community College Foundation. The field will be located to the north of Kachina Hall on the Prescott Campus.  (The Foundation is not reimbursing the College for any staff time associated with constructing the project.)

COLLEGE FINDS LOCATION FOR NEW LARGER GREENHOUSE ON VERDE CAMPUS

Goal is to have construction completed in next three months, if not sooner

Yavapai Community College is in the process of replacing the old, very small greenhouse that was removed as a part of summer construction.  It has also determined the new location for the new much larger replacement.

The new greenhouse is  18 by  48 feet.  It will be located between Buildings A and G on the Verde Campus.

Photo from June Facilities Management Newsletter.

MOVE-IN PROCESS BEGINS WITH BUILDING “L” ON VERDE CAMPUS

Building on schedule for August opening achieving goal set by Dr. Rhine

Construction on Building “L” on the Verde Campus is nearing completion and will be ready by August.  This fulfills a promise made by Yavapai Community College President Lisa Rhine who months ago set fall 2020 as a deadline for renovation completion and reopening of the building.

The June 2020  Community College Facilities Management newsletter reported that lighting and acoustical tile are being installed throughout the building while painting and  drywall installation is complete. Data cabling is nearing completion as is  final floor polishing.

The exterior of Building “L”  is receiving texturing and painting while storefront glass is being installed in the new front entry. Concrete has been poured for new sidewalks and ramps and the landscaping has started. Facilities and ITS are  beginning to move  in  furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

Photos are from June 2020 Yavapai Community College Facilities Management Newsletter.

CONSTRUCTION ON BUILDING “L” ON VERDE CAMPUS MOVING AHEAD

Pandemic has apparently not slowed efforts of  goal to get Building “L” ready by fall 2020

The April Yavapai Community College Facilities Management Newsletter reports that construction on Building “L” on the Verde Campus is moving ahead.  According to the report, a “ new roof is installed, and the building is very close to being completely dried in. Electrical transfer occurred during spring break, so the building is now tied into the campus with the new service. All structural steel for the new entrance is complete along with concrete and exterior walls. Painting of the exterior metal features is underway.”

The report goes on to say that “the interior of the building on the first floor, concrete polishing and staining is in process along with painting of walls and door jambs. Lighting is being installed throughout the first and second floors. On the second floor, drywall is nearing completion, and the walls are being prepped for paint.”

Source:  April 2020 Yavapai Community College Facilities Report.  All photos from report.

GREENHOUSE REPLACEMENT ON VERDE CAMPUS UNDER REVIEW

New 18’ x 48’ unit to be installed in three or four months

Yavapai Community College Facilities Management has reported in it’s April update that a location for a replacement greenhouse on the Verde Campus is under review.  The 18’ x 48’ unit is expected to be constructed on land between Buildings L and O (Southwest Wine Center) on the Verde Campus. Final construction is anticipated occurring in the next three or four months.

Source:  Yavapai Community College Facilities Management April newsletter (including above photo).

WORK BEGINS ON NONESSENTIAL SOCCER FIELD ON PRESCOTT CAMPUS; FOUNDATION REDUCES CONTRIBUTION FROM ORIGINAL $2.65 MILLION TO UNDER $700,000 FOR PROJECT; COLLEGE SAYS IT WILL PUT IN ONLY $200,000; ALREADY SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS TO IMPROVE PARKING IN AREA FOR IT IN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION

Relentless pressure from soccer community  over the past several years plus  a donation from the Yavapai Community College  Foundation bring  project to life; no opposition from  the Board

Commentary

The idea of a soccer field for the Prescott Campus was a part of the ten-year $103.5 million dollar development plan unveiled back in December 2012.  Recall that at that time well over 95% of the development funds were to go to facilities on the west side of Mingus Mountain.  Scattered among the millions of dollars was the idea of a soccer field.

In part the original 2012 Development plan stated that:

“Yavapai College has a solid reputation as a very competitive soccer program having won seven National titles in the past 25 years. This development would allow the team to practice and play on campus thus boosting student and community involvement alike. The recommendation is for a lit synthetic field due to the multiple activities and year-round uses being envisioned.” (“https://masterplan.yc.edu/files/2014/01/Final-Report-RPT-2014-0218-WEB_UPDATED.pdf)

Since 2012, a portion of the original project has been removed.  For example, including the Events Center as a part of the project is gone.  However, there is no information about what precisely the College plans to build with a total now budgeted at  $900,000 (College $200,000; Foundation $700,000)  in expenses plus all the time to be put in to the project by its own staff.  Does it include locker rooms now or will they appear in the future?  Or never. (See original plan.) Will concessions be built under grandstands now, in the future, never?  (See original plan.) Training space for NARTA (College just finished training facility for NARTA)  Lit field? Now? In the future?  Never?  (Original plan.)  Synthetic field?  (Claim grass field now) (See original plan.)  Nobody knows because the public has never seen a copy of the new plan.  (And what are the future plans for construction of it, if any?)

Recall that the first step in this project, taken by former president Penelope Wills,  caused  about $1 million to be  moved from the  capital construction  budget into the maintenance budget. Those funds were used to prepare a 280 space parking lot for the facility; work that has apparently already been completed.

The project  is called a “multi-use” facility rather than, in the Blog’s view, its real purpose, which is a field for the soccer team.  It will be used, sometimes the Blog has been informed, for graduation and some other events thus allowing it to be called “multi-use.”

Exactly how much it will cost when it is completed seems questionable.  The Foundation had promised $1.5 million in the 2016 budget to construct the facility. (See 2016 budget below.)  In 2019 the the Foundation indicated it would donate an astonishing $2.65 million. (See 2019 budget below).  This year, the Foundation contribution  has been reduced to sharing $700,000 with the technical theater.

Former President Penny Wills had promised the soccer community that she would build such a facility, despite the fact the team already  plays on two excellent fields—one in Prescott and another in Prescott Valley. (The College  has hosted major regional and national soccer events on these fields.)  While the incredible expenditures originally budgeted for the project have been reduced, there remains no  reasonable need, in the opinion of the Blog, for the field and the expenditure of any taxpayer  money to build  and then support  it. There are far greater educational needs!

This is a project to watch carefully as scarce taxpayer funds are being put into it. It is likewise disappointing that donors to the Community College Foundation will find that  rather than use their money for  scholarships, faculty salaries, and programs, it is being used for the nonessential field.   Moreover, the real cost, which involves the use of Yavapai Community College employees to build it, are not evident in the budget.

The work was scheduled to begin  this month (April). It is described by the Community College “as a 160’ x 230’ multi-use field. This project will consist of an irrigated grass field, fence, and netting along with a gravel path around the exterior. The field will be located to the north of Kachina, where the Supai residence hall once was located. The Grounds Team will be performing much of the work.”

MULTI USE SOCCER FIELD