August 23, 2007
Contacts: Suzanne Higgins suzanne.higgins@gcmail.maricopa.edu 623.845.3808Patricia Vogel pr.vogel@gcmail.maricopa.edu 623.845.3014
GCC Breaks Ground for State-of-the-Art Life Science Building
Despite the intense August heat, incredible enthusiasm and excitement marked the August 22 groundbreaking ceremony for a new, state-of-the-art Life Sciences Building at Glendale Community College (GCC). Following in the on-time and on-budget footsteps of all prior GCC construction, the building is targeted to be ready for classes in January 2009. Its 63,000 square feet will house the Biology, Nursing and Psychology Departments and will be GCC's first three-story structure. It will contain classroom space for almost 300 students, 72 faculty offices, nine Biology labs, a vivarium (animal lab), four Nursing Observation Pods, a large amphitheater, meeting rooms, a working greenhouse and a small café. Water-efficient landscaping is planned and the building comprises many "green" components.
The first part of the ceremony was held in the spacious lobby of the nearby Physical Sciences building and was well attended by more than 100 people. Attendees and speakers included Linda Rosenthal, Maricopa Community Colleges (MCC) Governing Board President; Scott Crowley, MCC Governing Board member; Dr. Rufus Glasper, MCC Chancellor; Dr. Velvie Green, GCC President, and many other GCC administrators, faculty and staff. Also attending were representatives from Gould Evan Associates, the architectural firm that designed the building, and from DPR Construction that will build it. Gould Evans architects unveiled a large and amazingly detailed model of the Life Sciences Building housed in a glass display case, which drew much attention from the audience.
The second part of the ceremony was held outside at the construction site where several of the VIPs, sporting hard hats and ceremonial shovels, dug the first official shovel-loads of dirt from the excavation site. The crowd then returned to the air-conditioned comfort of the Physical Science lobby to enjoy refreshments provided by DPR Construction.
Construction of the GCC Life Sciences Building is funded by the 2004 capital bond that was passed overwhelmingly by taxpayers. GCC is located at 6000 W. Olive Ave. in Glendale. Visit www.gccaz.edu for more information about the college.
