Schools

West Valley College Unveils $26M Complex

New Science and Math Complex was completed by Aug. 29, the start of semester.

After two years of construction, the renovation of the Science and Math Complex at West Valley College is finished, officials announced Monday.

“The teaching and learning spaces are now more contemporary, more aligned with today’s students and how they expect to learn, and more functional in terms of supporting the educational process as a whole,” said Lori Gaskin, president of West Valley College. “It brings a new feeling to the environment and physical space.”

The $26 million project, funded through Measure H and state bonds, gutted the 45,000-square-foot building complex down to the buildings’ frames and then renovated every classroom, lab and office space.

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Located on the north side of campus fronting North College Circle, the new facility will serve the nearly 12,000 students who attend the college located in Saratoga.

The project was divided into two phases, each including two one-story buildings, for a total of four edifices constructed in two years. Building A contains the college's math and science division offices, chemistry and math labs, classrooms and offices. Building B features the biology and physical science labs and classrooms and offices. Building C showcases the planetarium and stepped lecture rooms and Building D contains the so-called boiler room, according to project documents. 

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The start of classes this semester on Aug. 29 signified the completion of the project’s final phase. The only renovations still in progress are on the planetarium, which is set to be finished by the end of December, according to Bradley J. Davis, associate vice chancellor of West Valley-Mission Community College District.

Described by Gaskin as a “well-loved” set of buildings, the Science and Math Complex had seen thousands of students pass through it each year for the past 40 years.

Yet it had seen no renovations or upgrades of any kind during that time. That meant torn carpeting, computer-less classrooms and desks too small for students’ notebooks and calculators were the norm. Labs had outdated equipment and were not configured for the collaborative learning style that is now common. For many students, their high schools were more current.

“Now when students come to us, they have the sense that we’re contemporary. We’re not behind,” said Rebecca Wong, chairwoman of the science and math division and a math faculty member. “This has created a really positive learning environment. It shows we’re investing in education here.”

Among other changes, the buildings now have instructor computer workstations in all classrooms, new lab equipment that meets current safety standards and desks that foster group work. The entire complex is also now ADA accessible.

Before the renovations began two years ago, a 6,500-square-foot addition was built that added science classrooms and labs. The renovations also added a classroom and expanded a study area for students (previously housed in a closet), thanks to changes in the buildings’ floor plans.

“It really is a complete transformation for the facility,” said Javier Castruita, executive director of facilities for the West Valley-Mission Community College District.

West Valley College in Saratoga and Mission College in Santa Clara enroll more than 26,000 students annually. The district serves residents of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Campbell, Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara and is governed by the seven-member board.


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