CLC holds groundbreaking for new Science and Engineering Building
Celebrating the start of the first major project in a $163 million plan to upgrade facilities, the College of Lake County held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 30 for a new Science and Engineering Building on the Grayslake campus. Those speaking at the ceremony included CLC President Jerry Weber, Board Chairman Amanda Howland, State Senators Terry Link (30th Legislative District) and Melinda Bush (31st Legislative District) and Lake County Board Chair Aaron Lawlor.
The $28.3 million project consists of constructing a new three-story 41,900-square-foot building and renovating 25,000 square feet of space in the existing C Wing on the Grayslake campus. The State of Illinois will pay $17.5 million of the construction cost, and CLC the rest.
Gov. Bruce Rauner approved the project to move forward in January. "We are very grateful for the support of Gov. Rauner and our state legislators," said Board Chairman Amanda Howland.
Features of the new building will include a mechatronics/engineering laboratory, four laser and photonics laboratories and five chemistry laboratories, including one for organic chemistry. The space renovations will result in two new anatomy and physiology laboratories, two cadaver laboratories and two microbiology laboratories; four upgraded biology laboratories; and creation of two general purpose classrooms.
Construction of the new building is scheduled for completion in July 2016 and the renovated space for completion in August 2017.
"It's real easy to support a facility like the College of Lake County, in my mind the finest community college in the state of Illinois," State Senator Terry Link said. He said the new facility will give opportunity not to just to "high school students but also to re-entry people who are trying to change their lives, and they can have it right in their own back yard."
"We're breaking ground for the future," State Senator Melinda Bush said. "Tomorrow's quality of life will be based on decisions to invest in education today."
In addition to providing the latest facilities for science and technology education, the project also will advance the college's sustainability goals and save on energy usage. "We want to demonstrate that we are committed to the planet and the taxpayers of Lake County," Howland said.
The new building is proposed to be a LEED platinum building, which is the highest rating achievable through the USGBC (United States Green Building Council). Green features will include a rooftop photovoltaic array, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater harvesting, LED lighting and a living wall. The college estimates that the building's sustainability features will result in a more than 50 percent savings in energy consumption over a conventionally designed building of the same size, Howland said.
In concluding remarks, CLC President Jerry Weber spoke about the significance of the projects included in the $163 million Sustainable Campus Master Plan, which includes improvements at all three CLC campuses.
"Our students and faculty deserve the best facilities for learning and teaching," Weber said.
In addition to the Science and Engineering Building, major components of the Master Plan include:
A $4.8 million geothermal system to provide heating and cooling on the Grayslake campus.
A $24.7 million café/campus core remodeling project to consist of renovations to the Main Lobby, the checkerboard court, connecting link and atrium as well as the addition of a new café building overlooking Willow Lake.
A and B Wing renovations at a cost of $37 million. This work will consist of HVAC modernization, renovation of space to create a one-stop student services center, addition of a new sprinkler system and classroom modernizations.
A $47.9 million Lakeshore Campus expansion in Waukegan. This project, like the Science Building will receive State of Illinois funding through the Capital Development Board. The project will consist of constructing a new 53,090-square-foot building and renovating 19,704-square feet of existing space to create a full-service campus, expand academic offerings and enhance student support programs.
A $1.67 million chemistry laboratory addition at the Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills.