Center Building Updates

Project Status - In Progress

• Center Building Overview
• Construction Access Routes for Summer Term 2015 - ADA route updated 8/6/15

May 22, 2016
Center for Learning and Student Success

• Remaining punchlist items are related to mechanical systems.
• Commissioning is ongoing and is helping to tune up and improve the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning for the building. 

September 21, 2015
Celebrate the Good Times - A Community Accomplishment
Think about--not just what we've endured--but what we've done. It's amazing:

We tackled the largest construction project on campus since its original construction in the 1960s ... in the very heart of the campus ... while much of the space was still largely occupied most of the time.

The work in the courtyard and the various dislocated departments-- including the library, the very heart-beat of our academic mission--meant we enjoyed an a-maze-ing couple of years as we all got to find new paths over, under, through and around the ever-changing landscape.

We received nearly every possible IEQ credit in our push toward LEED™ silver certification. What's IEQ and why does it matter? Glad you asked! "IEQ" stands for indoor environmental quality, and that means that the air you breathe, the materials you touch--all of it--is intended to make you happy and healthy.

Safety, sustainability and accessibility are all on display and behind-the-scenes throughout the building. The Center Building has entered the 21st century with its rejuvenated capacity to meet any seismic challenge that might come our way. A new external mass notification system will alert much of the entire campus in case of any emergency. The entire building has fire sprinklers and much better climate controls. New accessibility features can be found throughout the building--including, of course, a brand new elevator and newly-renovated "old" units. And even beyond all the recycling we did and the green materials used throughout construction, we're now even producing food in the plaza! That's right--there are three planters (300 sf) that will be maintained and harvested by our Learning Garden staff.

And ... we did it all on time and within budget! You may not realize just how miraculous that is, but now that I am no longer associated with our Facilities Management and Planning staff, I can tell you--without tooting my own horn--that we are talking proverbial "act of God" territory (in a good way) here. Occupied space ... thousands of logistical challenges large and small ... an expanding scope ... an aggressive finish date that was pushed up by three months ... all on top of four months' worth of delay from outside agencies that was entirely beyond the control of the project team and required a herculean job of resequencing work. It really took a village--and we did it!

We managed to keep smiling and we remained generally civil to one another through it all, from unsightly sights and smelly smells to sounds that were, in sonic terms, unnervingly persistent and often disruptive.

About that Disruption

If you remained on campus through the two summers of construction, and also endured the tempest that marked the regular academic year, you might find yourself with Persistent Construction Syndrome in the days to come. You will find you have absolutely no interest in remodeling any part of your habitation for several years. The very sight of a Lowe's, Home Depot, True Value or Jerry's store will cause a visceral reaction in your gut.

Oh, and construction workers of every type will forever appear to you to be an evil band of rogue clowns.

Did you catch that truly significant statement about the schedule a moment ago? Based on the original timeframe, the CLASS project wasn't going to be ready for occupancy until this winter term--AND we experienced four months' worth of unanticipated delays even as we pushed to get in fall term. So there are understandably a few minor hiccups you can expect to find as our project team dots their i's and crosses their t's into the early part of the term. These pesky little activities may seem annoying at times, but they're necessary to make sure everything is perfect--and it all takes place in the context of knowing we already have our certificate of occupancy. We're "in." So in that regard, rest easy. In additional to the usual "punch list" stuff (which unfortunately has absolutely nothing to do with refreshing beverages), take note of the following:

• Commissioning and testing and balancing activities will be taking place in various nooks and crannies within the Center Building. Most of this work will have the HVAC and lighting systems as its focus, as we "dial in" all the new controls. This work will mostly be behind the scenes but you may see folks walking through spaces with testing equipment and ladders. The testing team will only be in each space for a short amount of time, and there is minimal noise involved. Lights may occasionally go off and on as we work to ensure each space is at the optimal setting for occupant comfort.
• Speaking of HVAC, the entire Center Building system is either new or seriously renovated, so please be patient with any temperature fluctuations. The experts tell me it really takes a full year, watching the system run through each season, to get things just right. As always--especially during the "hinge" seasons of fall and spring--it is always a good idea to layer; that way you're prepared to add or remove a layer in response to your comfort. Think of it as your very personal thermostat switch.
• While we expect all the interior furnishings to be in place as you read this, there will--of course, with an order this large and with so many vendors involved--be some missing or damaged items that will take just a bit to place or replace.
• Access control: Using our handy-dandy digital key cards is one of those things that is brilliant when it works (99.9% of the time) and incredibly annoying when it doesn't. With all the new control points and remodeled spaces, be ready for the occasional blip. Practice your French with me: "C'est la vie!"
• Foodservices is getting up to speed in their new spaces as quickly as possible, but the new Food Court venues will not be open for business till the first official day of fall term, September 28. But ... the food truck is back, so be on the lookout for the temporary locations that will serve your needs.
• We added some work late into the project to improve some of the heavily-used student space in the Lower Level (AKA the basement), particularly in the west lobby area. Be ready for a little more muss and fuss in that area for just a tad bit longer yet.
• Out in the gorgeous new Plaza, there is still some art work that needs to be placed, and the retiree wall is also a work in progress.
• And as for the West Plaza--the courtyard between Buildings 2 and 3 that also includes the elevator at Building 1--that area was added late into the project, so it will still take definitely some time to make it perfect.

As the finishing touches are lovingly applied to the Center Building, we're going to discover that "heaven is a place on earth"--for student success, for gatherings of every sort, for learning, living and laughing. It has become the dream we shared over these past couple of years, a place to think, engage, create, communicate and apply.

Oh ... and eat.

"How do I love thee," CLASS project? Let me count the ways:

LimeFresh: With south-of-the-border inspired recipes, this venue focuses on the vibrant and bold flavors of the Latin world.

B & D's Country Kitchen: For all you diehard "Thanksgiving Thursday" fans, this is for you. All of the best, classic recipes from LCC Foodservice over the past 30 years is what you want--and it's what you'll get right here.

Raw Berry: All-raw fruits, vegetables, juices and smoothies, along with a delectable selection of fresh soups, sandwiches and salads. Yum!

Five Spice: Asian fusion wok cooking, with recipes from China, India and all points in between.

Stonefire: Imagine an Italian pizzeria and delicatessen centered around a warm and wonderful Woodstone oven. Sign me up!

Crush Burger: Do you like your burgers hot, fresh and local? Then you're going to love Crush Burger's sustainably-sourced selections!

Blenders. Same great coffee, awesome new location on the second floor, with expanded bakery and deli offerings.

The Renaissance Room

If you thought everybody's favorite place to eat--lovingly abbreviated as "The Ren Room"--was nifty before the remodel, just wait till you see it now! Henceforth, you'll be able to watch Clive and his team as they work their artistry in the back kitchen. It's going to be fantastic!

The Learning Commons

What we used to call the "library" is now a completely-renovated space that includes the library and so much more! There are at least 19 new group study spaces of varying sizes, with all kinds of places for students to hole up and get some serious studying done. Here's a run-down of what's new and what's back:

LIBRARY: It's back--and it's better than ever! Study areas, reference help, research databases, online collections, library borrowing, and teaching are all part of the Library's active promotion of literacy, critical thinking, and student success.

ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY CENTER: The ATC provides faculty with one-stop support for course design and academic technologies, including all aspects of online instruction, Moodle set-up and use, media development, and web resources for instructional purposes.

CENTER FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: Find your community at LCC. Come to the CSE to find out about clubs and organizations, or start one yourself! Come see us!

INSTRUCTIONAL TESTING SERVICES: (ITS) is designed to address the testing needs of faculty and students in Lane Community College distance learning (online, live interactive, and telecourse) and hybrid credit courses. ITS provides a secure testing environment with academic integrity.

INFORMATION: The information desk provides help in finding resources, information and locations at Lane CC. In addition to providing information about Learning Commons services and locations, information staff answer common questions.

MEDIA CREATION LAB: The Media Creation Lab gives students a space to create videos, audio and animations that can be used for coursework and academic inquiry.

Robert L. Ackerman Tutor Central: Another element within the Learning Commons--has been named in honor of one of the great advocates for students at Lane, Bob Ackerman, who recently retired from the Board of Education after four terms reaching back 50 years to his election to Lane's first board in 1965 and three more successful elections in 1999, 2007 and 2011.

The new Tutor Central is meant to be both agile and accessible, with flexible spaces to accommodate both individual students and small groups. It's the way tutoring ought to be done in this new millennium. Come say hello in this ultra-awesome space in CEN 211.

The Mighty Titan Store

You might think of the Titan Store team as "early adopters." They've been a beacon of beautiful design in the midst of a construction zone for the last several months of the project. They have continued to tweak their operations, and you are going to love the current iteration of this instantly-iconic 21st century campus store.

The Plaza with A Purpose

The new plaza is remarkable in so many ways. The project team envisioned a gradual sloping rise that brings an entirely new level of accessibility to the heart of the campus. It's beautiful, functional, accessible ... and the plaza even inspires and teaches! There are thirty-one words applied to the pavers in a very particular scheme, thanks to the hard work of Lane's Assessment Team, Marketing and the entire project team. It's brilliant! The words are organized into categories that differentiate between stages of learning. As you move up the plaza, each new heading represents an increasingly complex stage of learning.

An Attitude of Gratitude

I am about to embark on the most dangerous, precarious bit of writing I've ever done ... the "thank you list" for this project. There are so many people to thank for so many reasons--I'm bound to forget several thousand people. So please forgive me in advance. Meanwhile, here are all kinds of folks that ought to be the recipients of our deepest appreciation:

• Our students. I am touched to think about the unbelievable support of our students--even early in the project when most of these students knew they would be gone by the time the dust settled. Students, this project is for you.
• Our occupants. To all of the departments and activity centers that were impacted by the construction in their workspace, thanks for your flexibility and incredible patience. Tutors were homeless, librarians found themselves in temporary and severely downsized digs, the Ren Room team found themselves in Building 19, etc. Extra special kudos to the Titan Store, LLC and Social Science divisions who hunkered down and went on the entire wild ride directly in the project area. And our Foodservices staff kept the hungry, howling mobs at bay even when they were displaced. Wow!
• Faculty, staff and students everywhere. This project impacted everybody on campus. We moved your food supply around, changed the routes you took to get from here and there, and added an incredible amount of noise pollution to your lives. And really--you have been great, with complaints at a minimum. And pretty much every complaint we did receive was thoroughly legit. Thank YOU!
• The project team. Our design and construction teams have been amazing. "Responsive ... creative ... innovative ...." Those are just some of the words that immediately come to mind. In this final push to the finish line, we have had as many as 150 people working on the project all at the same time--that's a lot of coordination, and this group has proven themselves to be professional and competent.
• The Facilities Management and Planning team. From reception to the admins and from General Services to the trades, grounds staff and the custodial crew--everyone's work in FMP was significantly impacted by the CLASS project, and our team is the best in the business. Extra special shout-outs to our management team--Todd Smith, Jennifer Hayward and Heath Pierce--and to Gary Cummins, Brian McMurray, Jeff Hanson and Mark Richardson who were all deeply invested in ensuring the success of the CLASS project.
• The IT team. Beyond all the planning and purchasing, our own staff have been very much involved in installation and ensuring the various parts and pieces contributed by outside vendors and contractors all works together just as it should. Massive props to you, IT!
• Facilities Council, the Bond Leadership Team and the Project User Groups. These groups, providing both insight and oversight from across campus, are responsible for the thrust and direction of this project. Well-done!
• ASLCC, LCCEA and LCCEF. The leadership of our students, faculty and staff have been incredibly supportive and helpful in communicating to these large groups who have been so deeply impacted.
• The Foundation and Marketing staff. Their professional communications and (in the case of the Foundation, literal) "contributions" have been invaluable.
• The Board of Education, Mary, Dawn, Brian and the entire Executive Team. They have provided direction, offered their support, solved our problems and cheered us on. We are grateful.

See that beautiful picture? Let me tell you why it means so much to me. As I've written these little updates over the past year or two, I've almost always placed a "photo" of some aspect of the CLASS project right here at the end. These photos were meant to remind us of what was yet to come. THAT picture--just above this paragraph--is, for the first time, NOT an architectural rendering. It's the real deal, an actual photograph taken just a while back now, and it looks just like the rendering!

Our dreams have become reality. My work here is done. Thank you all.

Russ Pierson, Interim Director, Florence Center, Lane Community College

The CLASS Update - Week of August 3, 2015

 
New Titan Store Entrance beginning Monday, August 10th

Starting Monday, August 10th, the route to the new Titan Store will be through the new Plaza! The path starts between Building 3 and Building 5 and will be well-secured from the construction zone. The path ends at the actual entrance to the store! After a couple of weeks the path will shift into the west Center Building entrance while the permanent Plaza is poured against the Titan entry.

The Titan Store entrance from the south side of the Center Building will not be accessible as of August 10th.

Lastly, for a couple of weeks the nice, new restrooms adjacent to Titan Store will not be accessible due to the new polished concrete flooring installation that abuts them. The Building 17 and Center 4th floor restrooms will be among the closest available facilities.

The CLASS Update - Week of June 1, 2015

 
Dead Week, Finals Week and Beyond

"Dead week"--why do they call it "dead" week? Is it because the plaza between the Center Building and Buildings 2 and 3 looks a lot like Death Valley right now? Is it because you have to risk life and limb every time you try to get anywhere near the Titan Store? Whatever the case, the folks in Facilities have asked me to pass along some of what has quickly become a project tradition: "good" news:

I'm sure you already know this, but of course the Titan Store has become an island of isolation that is nearly impossible to reach. This happiness will continue for some time to come. You're welcome.

There's also no first floor access to the north elevator in the Center Building, and the ATMs in the Center Building are still out of commission. Again, you're welcome.

You may have noticed that the exterior lights around Bristow Square were on 24/7, intended to aid the construction crews working overnight in darkness. We have finally managed to get these lights onto a timer so we're saving on the electric bill during the daylight hours. Say it with me: you're welcome!

Summertime, and the Livin' is ...

Well, as Ella and Louis famously intoned, it really is "easy" ... as long as you don't have to be anywhere near campus over summer term! Here's the news you need to know for the rest of us:

The 4th floor of the Center Building will not be available for any classes, and even if you must trek up that way for any other purpose, you may find various and sundry areas closed at times. Division offices will (more or less) remain opened, and some (but not all--and not all the time) faculty offices will be open. Fire alarm, sprinkler and HVAC upgrades will be happening all summer long on the 4th floor. These upgrades will be incredibly fun and totally quiet--and, dear reader, I hope you can recognize the use of irony and sarcasm.

Level 0 (AKA the basement) isn't scheduled for any major work, but--as you might imagine--most of the essential infrastructure, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC and fire, begins here, so it will continue to be a hub of activity as necessary. And it will be necessary.

We weren't sure we were being quite noisy enough, so there will be pressure washing and exterior painting happening from now till the end of July.

We'll get really serious about reshaping the plaza over the summer, too. "In a world that's constantly changing" (here's a tip of the hat to the Young Rascals, Dusty Springfield or David Cassidy, depending on your age), routes across campus will also be ever-changing and sometimes getting even worse. If there's going to be a major change, Jennifer Hayward, our "new and improved" (wait--did I say that out loud?) Associate Director of Facilities Management and Planning, will send out a campus-wide notice. The latest, greatest, updated maps will always be right here.

If you're hungry over summer term, you'll be happy to know we will definitely have the food truck going (except for the couple of weeks from August 13th through August 31st)--and we are still finalizing a second campus location for awesome chow served up by our Food Services team. Check out the Food Services site for the most up to date info on what is available and were you can find it.

If you can arrange your schedule accordingly, you should do everything within your power to stay away as soon as summer term finals officially end on September 12. All of the noise restrictions we've placed off-and-on (and believe it or not, it has mostly been "on") on the contractor will be lifted in a final one-week push to be certain we can meet our goal of having spaces ready to be occupied by the time fall term starts.

Coming (Not) Soon (Enough) to a Campus Near You

Unless we hit a wormhole or find ourselves in the film Groundhog Day, fall term will come--eventually. And when it does, these new food venues are ready to rock your taste buds:

LimeFresh: With south-of-the-border inspired recipes, this venue focuses on the vibrant and bold flavors of the Latin world.

B & D's Country Kitchen: For all you diehard "Thanksgiving Thursday" fans, this is for you. All of the best, classic recipes from LCC Foodservice over the past 30 years is what you want--and it's what you'll get right here.

Raw Berry: All-raw fruits, vegetables, juices and smoothies, along with a delectable selection of fresh soups, sandwiches and salads. Yum!

Five Spice: Asian fusion wok cooking, with recipes from China, India and all points in between.

Stonefire: Imagine an Italian pizzeria and delicatessen centered around a warm and wonderful Woodstone oven. Sign me up!

Crush Burger: Do you like your burgers hot, fresh and local? Then you're going to love Crush Burger's sustainably-sourced selections!

Blenders. Same great coffee, awesome new location on the second floor, with expanded bakery and deli offerings.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry!

Adventures in Absolute Awesomeness

There is a lot more pure awesomeness heading your way this fall. After all, that's why we've all endured this incredible year of "gloom, despair and agony on me"! Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side. In addition to those incredible new food venues, here's just a taste of what's waiting on the other side of the CLASS project this autumn:

Our lovely-but-lonely Titan Store will be orphaned no more. The day is coming, friend, when you shall be able to meander through the remarkable new plaza and enter the Titan Store from the actual entry!

You may know that almost all of the library books have stayed in their place in the Center Building throughout the project. Imagine the tales they could tell. Their surroundings are rapidly shaping up, and they will soon be the centerpiece of a brand spankin' new library, commons, and super-cool study nooks and conference rooms.

Somehow, someday we will be able to access both the north and south elevators in the Center Building--and they will actually work! But wait--there's more: there will be a glittering new west elevator to whisk you hither and yon.

Enjoy the world's coolest, hippest dining experience in the completely new, thoroughly redesigned Renaissance Room. Go ahead--insert yourself in that image above.

A whole gob full of new, improved safety features--including external mass communications so we can all hear emergency alerts campus-wide!

In a nod to our remarkable, sustainable campus, the Center Building will soon be LEED™ silver certified. This is Lane's first LEED™-certified remodel, and THAT is quite an accomplishment because LEED certification on a remodel is much more difficult than with new construction. The building is expected to be a full 20% more energy efficient, and our contractor is recycling over 90% of the construction waste. The project is using recycled-content, regional materials, FSC-certified wood, and low-emitting materials to ensure our health, safety and enjoyment.

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Class Construction Notice: Beginning May 18th - No Access to ATMs and North Elevator on the First Floor

Beginning on Monday, May 18th, the east entrance to the first floor of the Center Building will no longer be accessible. This means that the Center north elevator and the SELCO, U.S. Bank, and ATMs that are all accessed from this entrance will not be available. This entrance, along with access to the north elevator and ATMs, will likely open back up in mid-August. We will notify you once the date is confirmed. This will be a difficult transition for many. Please hang in there as we work hard to create a wonderful new Center for Learning and Student Success. Here are the access plans that go along with the east entrance closure:

Accessing the Center basement via elevator: Go to the first floor south entrance (like you are going to the Titan Store), take the south elevator to the fourth floor, then take the north elevator to the basement. Please allow extra time when accessing or leaving the Center basement using the elevator. The Center basement east and north stair entrances will still be open.

Accessing the fourth floor via elevator: The only access from May 18th to mid-August will be from the south elevator.

Accessing SELCO and U.S. Bank ATMs: Unfortunately, there will not be ATM service on Lane's main campus during this period.

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The CLASS Update - Week of March 23, 2015

"The horror. The horror."

How many ways can we say it? Marlon Brando's character, Colonel Kurtz, uttered his famous last words, "The horror ... the horror" in the film, Apocalypse Now in 1979. Or maybe you're more familiar with that old phrase, "it's going to get worse before it gets better"?

Yeah, that. It's like we were only teasing you before now. "Spring" isn't the only thing we're going to "break" around here! Get it?

Dust, Debris and Destruction ... Oh, and Noise!

Have you ever noticed that every one of these CLASS project updates follows the same basic plot? Act One: It's going to be really awful. Act Two: Deal with it. Act Three: Things will eventually get better.

Same thing this time, only it's going to be "awfuler" than ever. This time we mean it!

First of all, for the few remaining survivors in the Center Building: your life will--at least in terms of the relentless wall of sound--get a little better this next term. We're continuing to dial in what "weapons of mass construction" can be used during which times of day, and for spring term, we've moved as many classes and auxiliary functions as possible to alternate locations.

Second (and we'll talk more about this in a moment), everything changes in and around the Center Building over Spring Break. The construction area will move into almost the entire first floor AND we'll spread our evil tentacles out into the courtyard, encroaching close to Building 3 and Building 5. The way you move across campus is sure to change!

Third, we're maintaining well-signed accessible routes throughout construction--but that doesn't mean it will be easy. We're coordinating carefully with our friends in Center for Accessible Resources, but those accessible routes are likely to take you up, down and all around as you maneuver across campus. Please plan to give yourself a little more time to move hither and yon this next term.

Construction Café

In a classic "good news/bad news" move, I'm happy to report the bad news is: as winter term whimpers to a close, the cafeteria is closing till next fall. Good news: our crack Food Services team is there for you, baby! And when I say "there" for you, I mean everywhere! View pdf of Construction Café map.

Health and Wellness Café (Building 30): Hours of Operation: 7 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays. The Health and Wellness Café is our coffee and sandwich shop. Here you'll find espresso drinks, pastries, bagels, soup, salads ... and our ever-popular custom-made deli sandwiches.

Food Truck (Here, There and Everywhere): Hours of Operation: 7 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays. Breakfast: from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day, you can get hot, made-to-order breakfast items including: breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, eggs to order, hash browns and daily specials. Lunch: you'll discover our lunch-time offerings, at the truck from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., include made-to-order burgers and sandwiches, sides and drinks.

Editor's Note: Just so you know: I'm trying to get them to roll this happy cart of culinary delights on over to the Florence Center, so watch your collective back, Main Campus!

Terrace Café (Building 16): Hours of operation: 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday. The Terrace Café will offer both grab-and-go options as well as the grill during lunch. Enjoy fresh coffee, soda and energy drinks, pastries and herb-marinated chicken sandwiches from the grill.

Titan Taco and Grab and GO (Building 5): Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday. The Titan Taco and Grab and GO will have a selection of the most popular drinks and snacks along with authentic street tacos with your choice of steak, chicken, pork or veggies topped with cotija, a lime slice and roasted green salsa.

Titan Convenience Store (Center Building): There in the land in between the marvel that is the new Titan Store and the marvels yet to come in the new Food Court, there is the Titan Convenience Store with loads of grab-n-go goodness and extended hours.

Titan Store: You Can't Get There From Here

You know that spiffy, brand-spankin' new Titan Store we built just for you? Yup--now we're going to see if you can find your way there after we make it a small island of awesomeness floating in an ocean of devastation. Over the next couple of months, we might have you entering from the north (the side facing Bristow Square and 30th Avenue) through a narrow corridor, and then we might change our minds and bring you through from the south or route you across the crazy construction area that the entire courtyard will soon become. Think of it as a poor person's answer to those Luminosity ads touting "neuroplasticity" exercises.

There will always be clear signage and the Titan Store will always be open regular hours. Unless they're not. You can always check their hours of operation and get the latest information here. If you manage to find Tony and the Titan Store staff in there, tell 'em we said hi!

A Little Game of "Simon (or Simone) Says"

I would love to give you really clear direction about how you will navigate campus over spring term, but the truth is, it's a lot like what some folks say about their "relationship status" on Facebook--it's complicated!

We have color-coded maps and schematics our entire construction team has pored over. This graphic above is an example of our evil plan just for the week of Spring Break before it all changes to a new plan.

We've also got a master plan to move fencing and move/change/add wayfinding signage as necessary through spring term (and beyond). We're going to do everything we can to ensure this signage is clear. Your job? Be flexible and ready for periodic changes in the routes around the construction area.

There are two HUGE changes that will take place over Spring Break:

With the exception of the new Titan Store, the entire first floor of the Center Building becomes a construction zone! We'll do our best to maintain access to the ATMs, the elevators and the Titan Store--but be ready for anything and especially frequent changes.

We're also taking over the entire courtyard area to the west and north--toward both Building 3 and Building 5. This will impact movement from the main entry at the LCC Bus Station all across campus. These routes, too, will narrow and change from time to time.

The Pledge

You are hereby drafted, enlisted and authorized to give special consideration to our students and visitors over spring term. It will take all of us a while to figure out new routes to our usual haunts, but it may be especially trying for those who don't work here on a regular basis. Please feel free to watch for any signs of confusion and step in to offer your direction.

• Access Maps

Here's our very best counsel: Pay attention to the signs ... take a deep breath ... help your fellow humans find their way ... and do your best to enjoy the journey!

A Frenzy of Fabulous Food ... and More! ... this Fall

Now it gets crazy and it affects all of us. And now is the time to remember what's coming. Remember how amazing it was when we first started this little project way back when and we knocked the dark and brooding terraces down off the west and north sides of the Center Building? Remember the thrill you got when you first spied the new, super-cool Titan Store?

More amazement is coming your way. From the awesome new learning center and vastly improved library to a "see-through" Renaissance Room and all new food venues, the CLASS project isn't the just the biggest construction project in occupied space on main campus in our 50-year history, it's also in line to be THE most transformative project in our half-century of existence.

The finish line is now--truly--in sight.

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The CLASS Update – Week of December 8

CLASS Project Update: "Ho, Oh, No!"

Naughty or Nice

Whether it's as simple as noting the passing of the coming winter solstice or as engaging as participating in an ethnic- or faith-based community tradition, it seems the Human Collective has determined that this transitional season from fall to winter shall be a time of reflection and celebration. In short, it's time to decide if we've been naughty or nice.

Speaking only for the CLASS project team, we plan to be very naughty over winter break, but -- we promise -- it is all in the service of being incredibly nice ... eventually. Mwah-ha-ha-ha!

Now is the Winter of Our Discontent

We love surprising you, and there's no greater winter-season joy than illustrating, "See ... we can make things even more crowded, uncomfortable and chaotic!" And when you return from winter break, we plan to prove our point.

To mash up a little Shakespeare with Browning, How do we "love" thee? Let us count the ways:

We've already blocked off the east entry to the dining area so we could make your last few days of winter term a-maze-ing. We're creating a rain-proof covering for the hot dog stand that now lives under the terrace there.

This Friday, December 12 classes officially end, the cafeteria closes at 1:30, and we get busy!

Yup, we're going to block off the west entry over break, too. You won't see it again for months! In fact, we're going to condense the entire dining area and block off a large section of the west side. Get used to using the north entry a lot more, except ...

Naturally, we're going to add a shear wall at the face of the north stairway to further enhance the seismic capacity of the Center Building. During the break, these stairs will occasionally be closed, and they will always be cold--they will be exposed to the outside air while the reinforcement work goes on. The North doors and elevator will be your best friend if you have to enter the building over the break.

Say goodbye to the old bathrooms near the ATMs. We will safe these off on Friday afternoon and demolish them on Monday.

Speaking of the ATMs, they will move to a new location in the dining area over the break, too.

We'll be cutting an opening for the grand new elevator that will live next to the new interior stairs to the west, as part of the lantern feature, too.

Titan Store Schedule

If you're on campus and hungry next week, the Titan Store will have a great array of convenience items available, still in its old location. They're open all week long, closing early Friday, December 19 at 12 p.m. They will be back and open once again, still in their usual spot, the week of December 29. For the latest news, see the Titanstore website. And get ready to see the new, expanded offerings in the brand, spanking new Titan Store in late January!

Food Services Schedule

Alas, in order to complete all the work that needs to be done, the cafeteria closes at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, December 12, and will remain closed through the entirety of winter break. Once the term begins, we'll have access to all the usual great food offerings -- but the configuration will have changed a little and the space will be condensed. Remember ... keep the dream alive: we will be bringing our community a whole new vision for food next fall term!

Stairway to Heaven

Why?!? Why are we blocking off the west section of the dining area? What did you ever do to us? Nuthin'! Think of it as "tough love" with a world of emphasis on that second word.

The rendering above offers a glimpse of what's to come there in the westernmost part of the current dining room. Light and warmth will fill the beautiful, new communicating stairway, creating cool crannies between Level 1 and all the amazing goodness -- that we're keeping to ourselves for now -- yet to come on Levels 2 and 3.

More Noise, More Dust

If you thought you had heard noise and if you thought you had seen dust, well, you ain't seen nothin' yet! There's a reason why we've saved most of this major work for winter break. Unless you absolutely, positively, gotta, have-ta be in the Center Building over the break, we encourage you to cuddle up with a cup of cocoa in a galaxy far, far away.

We're certain you're going to be stunned by the transformations just between now and the new year ... in a good way ... but it is going to take a lot of hard work and "full steam ahead" access to the building to make it happen.

If you do have to visit campus over the break:

• Remember to contact Public Safety (541) 463-5558 (ext. 5558) to let them know you're on campus.
• Obey all construction-related signage.
• And avoid the construction zone if at all possible.

Oh, and be prepared to be amazed when you return to campus. There's still an ocean of inconvenience we have to navigate between now and next autumn, but starting in January, we'll get our first glimpse of land.

You're going to love it.

The CLASS Update – Week of November 24

The Lane Turkeys

Did you know a group of turkeys is called a gang? I kid you not--and we have a gang of turkeys roaming the campus. I saw them most recently--a group of eight, full-grown birds--engaged in something that looked very much like a game of tag, out by themselves in the middle of Bristow Square early Wednesday morning. Or it may have been "King or Queen of the Hill" since one proud turkey was, for a time, perched atop the large, wooden, zig-zag arrow there in the Square while several of the others chased one another down below.

Whatever the case, it occurred to me that these turkeys were healthy and happy as can be, roaming unmolested but (cue dark and ominous music) also tragically unaware, just a week prior to a human holiday that I would think has to be associated with general unhappiness among the turkey population.

You, my fellow homo sapiens, are not turkeys. And neither shall you experience Thanksgiving break unaware of the "gloom, despair and agony on me" (to quote the theme of an old TV show, Hee Haw) about to befall us.

Speaking of "befalling," it's important to remember that all these changes are not some evil experiment dreamed up by the Social Science department. It all comes down to our safety as a college community and as highly valued members within that community. A little inconvenience is sometimes the price for a lot of safety.

The new CLASS project promises to make everything better ... but first, for now, it's going to make our lives a little more miserable. And misery, as you know, loves company, so today, friend, let me share some of the things I'll be griping about soon.

So ... just when you get used to meandering across the awful maze we've created in the heart of campus and through the dining room, we find ways to make it worse! We're just that good!

• By the time you read this, we will be working to install the new egress stairs on the east side of the Center Building. These are just for emergency use only and are required by building code since ...
• This Saturday and Sunday, November 22-23, our contractor begins demolition of the west stairs that have faithfully snaked their way up the side of the building for several decades now. Will it be noisy? Oh, yabetcha. But the main piece of heavy equipment we'll use to do the bulk of the work is from the same "Pac-Man" family that paid us a visit when we demolished the terraces to create all those new light-filled vistas around the Center Building to the north and to the west. That sound, you may remember, is constant but also surprisingly quiet--and as a bonus, it makes the vast majority of that construction "waste" entirely recyclable! This noisier work won't begin till 1:00 PM Saturday, and if the work has to be extended into Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, it won't start till 3:00 PM on those days.
• By the way, in an effort to both drive you crazy and delight you all at the same time, next week only, on Monday through Wednesday, November 24-26, we're going to let you do what you've always wanted to do: enter the cafeteria through the exit! You're welcome.
• All this means that, till winter break, the only entrance to the Center Building on the west side (and only to the first floor and the Lower Level) will be the doors toward the northwest corner, basically opposite Building 3. All access to other floors must be from the north, east and south ends of the building. Oh, and you can't get to the dining room from the south entrance. And here's a hint of what's to come: after winter break, this will get even worse before it gets better!
• I hope you've found your way to the large and lovely new restrooms, currently and oddly located in what feels like the middle of the kitchen. They're great and they're available any time the cafeteria is open. But as a bonus, we will continue to leave the old bathrooms near the ATMs open for use till winter break.
• When you return from Thanksgiving break, some time Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, December 1-3, the interior access to the foodservice area will be restored at the usual "turnstiles" along the west end, but we will have taken up even more space for construction in that area just to keep you guessing.

More Store

About that Titan Store: you're going to start to see the Titan Store staff scurrying around their new warehouse space and even that new store space some time in early-to-mid December, but the end of fall term/first of winter term rush and buyback will still find the store operating in familiar territory. Right now, the old Titan Store plans to close its doors at the end of the day on Friday, January 16, and they will re-open in their fabulous new home on January 20, right after the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.

Study Space

One last important note: with all the space in the old Library temporarily out of commission, and as the space in the dining area begins to get ever smaller, we are doing what we can to create "study spots" all across campus. In some cases, these spaces already exist; in other cases, they represent new spaces reclaimed just for this purpose. You'll can take a look at the list as a PDF, and there will be handouts with this same information available in the cafeteria, the Library (in Building 18) and other key locations around campus.

Find yourself a nook or a cranny, smile at your neighbors and dive on in to that research project.

All Bad Things ...

"All good things must come to an end," they say -- and you know, that's gloriously true about bad things, too! You've probably seen the rendering below, but in the light of recent construction, and knowing what lies ahead, now it may make more sense. There to the right of the main Center Building, you see the Titan Store that is rapidly taking shape in reality near the southwest corner. Just to the left in the rendering, there's a glazed vertical feature that extends all the way from the ground to the top of the 4th floor. That is where a brand new set of interior stairs will be, next to an all-new elevator that will whisk you from floor to floor! We call this glazed vertical feature the lantern. And just beside the lantern is a grand, new entrance located at the top of what will be a beautiful, welcoming and gently sloping new plaza, coming up from Buildings 3 and 5.

The CLASS Update – Week of September 22

1964

1964 was a momentous year in history. In February that year, a rag-tag group of four young, 20-something British musicians invaded the US music scene, landing in New York and calling themselves The Beatles. And in October, on the other side of the country in Lane County, voters approved creation of a community college education district and elected its first Board of Education. Lane Community College was born.

The college held its formal ground-breaking ceremony for its brand-spanking new 30th Avenue campus in January, 1967 and classes begin meeting there in 1968. Then in October, 1969, the new $18 million campus was dedicated, with Oregon Governor Tom McCall cutting a ceremonial log on site with a chainsaw - the same month the first message was sent over ARPANET, the forerunner of what would one day be called "the internet".

And somewhere in the course of these momentous months, the Center Building was constructed on campus, designed to represent exactly what its name implies—the center of campus and the very heart of our community life. BUT ... the buildings, walks, terraces and parking lots of that original campus were designed to meet the needs of students and staff in the last half of the 20th century. Since then many of the original buildings have been remodeled and some new buildings have been added to address the changing needs of students and staff. Though some programs have been relocated and some floors remodeled, the original design of the Center Building—food services, library, and bookstore—has remained largely untouched.

The CLASS project changes everything.

Still Crazy After All These Years

So how have we re-imagined the heart and soul of the campus for a new millennium? Check out these points of interest:

Feel the Power! The new Titan Store has seemingly sprung from the earth on the south end of the west plaza area in recent days. While the old store will remain operational in its usual location this fall, this new store will open in January as your one-stop-shopping source for books, supplies and all things Titan--including a convenience store that will be open extended hours.

A Library for the Future. The Library has moved into new, temporary-but-very-cool digs in Building 18. They still offer all the usual library services - including Summit circulation, study space, computer lab, and access to library materials - from that temporary location. Watch for signs and follow the "construction orange" steps to make your way to Building 18. Meanwhile, the new library will be flat-out awesome, featuring an open design over two floors, buttressed by the new Information Central. You'll find group study spaces for one or as many as twelve people all at once.

Made to Order. Get ready to bid a fond farewell to the old cafeteria ... but not yet! Food services will morph and shift quite a bit this coming year, but for now, you'll find the usual great fare in the usual places. But by the time this project is complete, you'll be bellying up to fantastic new food venues with cook-to-order items, there will be a brand new Renaissance Room with increased seating, and you'll find a new instructional kitchen featuring windows that offer a peek behind-the-scenes for the Ren Room diners and others.

A Synergy of Student Activity. The Lower Level has already received a huge upgrade this summer, and the happy new inhabitants of this great new space include the No Cash Clothing Stash, the Rainy Day Food Pantry, The Torch, Denali and OSPIRG, among others.

But Wait ... There's More! Other Changes Coming Soon to A Center Building Near You!

• Academic Technology Center.
• Central tutoring and tutoring throughout the 2nd and 3rd floors.
• Academic Testing Center.
• Student activity space.
• New locations for art at the vastly-improved exterior plaza and the interior of the building.
• Improved ADA access around and inside the building to move toward our goal of universal access.
• A new elevator.
• Improved vertical connections with staircases inside the building.
• Lots of safety improvements, including a significant seismic upgrade.
• Tons of sustainability elements, with reduced energy and water use, daylighting strategies, improved indoor environmental quality and new glazing in critical locations.

What Happens When? If you want to take a glance at the work ahead of us, take a look above. Just remember: a construction project this huge in a building this old can present the occasional surprise, so your mileage may vary when it comes to some of the dates and details.

Pump Up the Jam
It was extra noisy around campus this summer as we took good advantage of fewer students, fewer classes in session and the Friday closures. Our goal: to get us to the "new normal". That new normal will include plenty of background noise, punctuated by occasional flurries of loudness. When you venture in or around the Center Building, you might find yourself talking a little louder and listening a little harder. We're mindful of the din - we've asked our contractor to use the quietest equipment available and we're taking extra precautions to keep it on the down low during critical times like Finals Week. But we should all be prepared to embrace just a little extra static this coming year.

As fall term begins, we may need the occasional "group hug", or maybe a yoga class or breathing exercises. We won't be able to get there from here in the usual way and the wall of sound might get to us once in a great while. (And - seriously - we'll have earplugs available in Building 1 (Student Services), Building 3 (Human Resources) and the Titan Store, so feel free to tap this resource any time you feel it's necessary.) But in the end, we will not only survive ... we will THRIVE, for we are the mighty Titans of Lane Community College and we are willing to embrace change and draw out the very best in one another.

We are prepared to take the Center Building into the 21st century, to make our world at Lane a much better place for us, and for generations of students, faculty, staff and community members yet to come.

Here's to the NEXT 50 years!

The CLASS Update – Week of September 4

The Dog Days of Summer

Dog Days?
Apparently the ancient Romans associated the hottest days of mid-summer with Sirius, the brightest star in the sky (and part of the constellation shaped like a large dog) that seemed to rise with the sun during the miserably hot weather of July and August in the days before central air conditioning.

Happy Days Are Here Again

We've been working hard all through those "dog days" so fall term will be as hassle-free as it can be--considering that the largest construction project in the history of Main Campus is taking place right under our feet. If you haven't been around much this summer, I think you'll be surprised at the progress when you return to campus.

The "dog day" heroes this summer are the current inhabitants of the Center Building. Hail to you, Library staff! Huzzah, Food Services! Well-done, Titan Store peeps! Hats off to you, Social Scientists, Basement Dwellers and LLCers! Here's to anyone and every one who weathered the noise, the dust and disruption--and more noise--that marked our mad dash to stay on schedule and within budget this summer.

What Now?

We've got a lot to share with you before fall term starts in earnest on September 29, but we'll save many of the details for just a bit. Here are a few highlights to whet your appetite:

• The Library staff is busy adding the finishing touches to their new "home away from home" in Building 18. They plan to be open for business there beginning September 8. They will still offer all the usual library services, including Summit circulation, study space, computer lab, and access to library materials from that temporary location.
• Many of the new inhabitants of the vastly improved Lower Level have moved into their cheery new home in what used to be the dank domain formerly known as "the basement". Among the new happy occupants: the No Cash Clothing Stash and the Rainy Day Food Pantry. Make it a point to drop in and say hi.
• Food Services is still serving up great food from their usual location. They remain on a limited schedule this next week or two, but look for that to change as the term begins.
• Cross your fingers ... those new and improved restrooms on the first floor that we've been dreaming about will open just in time on Monday, September 29 ... IF the stars align and all the parts and pieces show up right when they're supposed to. If not, well, they're still coming soon. As Bobby McFerrin might say, "Don't worry. Be happy."

The Dull Roar

We've mentioned several times--and we'll just keep saying it--that you can expect a "new normal" in the vicinity of the Center Building when it comes to sound levels. Our "dog day" heroes experienced the worst of it this summer--including what sounded like incredibly massive beasts scraping their finger nails on the world's largest chalk board right under their feet for a week or so. They endured the brunt of the noise so we could get to a nice, normal "dull roar" this fall.

It will still be noisy. It will still be punctuated by occasional flurries of loudness. But if we can all embrace this elevated level of background static this coming year ... if we can smile at our coworkers and offer to point the way to our students, our visitors and our community partners ... we will get done on time and under budget, and the dull roar will be immediately forgotten in the glorious shouts of celebration.

Prepare to celebrate.

And bring your earplugs.

The CLASS Update – Week of July 21

IEQ and You

If you are around campus this summer, you know all about the occasional noise, dust, smells and inconvenience of construction. This really is a huge project and like every "remodel", it generates its share of mess and aggravation, but know this: we're doing our very best to keep it all on the "down low"!

"IEQ" stands for "Indoor Environmental Quality" and it's become the new standard for the kinder, gentler, healthier and sustainable construction standards of the 21st century. We hope to attain USGBC LEED™ certification for the CLASS project, and we are doing much more than the minimum required by code to keep you safe and happy during construction. For example, while the lovely smell of diesel fuel may occasionally waft windward in your direction, that diesel exhaust has been pre-scrubbed to ensure full compliance with health and safety standards--indeed, we are well beyond EPA standards. And the couple of concerns we've had expressed about dust in the Center Building have actually been linked to existing dust that had settled into nooks and crannies over the past fifty years the building has been in use.

In short, we care ... and we're being care-full to ensure your health and safety.

The Weeks Ahead

Want to know what in the world we're up to next? Here you go:

First of all, we'll be doing mandatory fire alarm testing in the Center Building on Monday and Tuesday. There may be both horns and strobes going off in the basement, but the sound will likely be heard through the Center Building and in the vicinity. Hopefully the aural interruptions will be minimal, but keep those earplugs handy!

This week, beginning Monday, July 21, we'll start digging footings for the new Titan Store on the west end of the building.

We're also getting ready to start stairwell work.

We are getting started in earnest on the construction of shear walls that will provide additional seismic reinforcement.

And ... don't let it get out, but those new and improved restrooms on the first floor really will be available fall term. We're starting down that path this week!

This Time the End Justifies the Means

We are well on the way toward our goal of a reimagined and reinvigorated space right at the heart of our campus community. Keep yourself safe and informed ... be willing to endure a little agony ... and plan to give your neighbors the benefit of the doubt.

Our midsummer night's dream is fast becoming a beautiful reality!

The CLASS Update – Week of June 26

On these summer Fridays, while the campus is closed, I can assure you a few of us will be hard at work, making good use of the wide open spaces around campus.

An Inconvenient Truth

The Bond project team and the staff of Facilities Management and Planning want you to know in advance: if you're planning to be around on Fridays this summer, you'll want to be prepared for all those inconveniences we've mentioned in earlier communications--things like noise, dust and heavy equipment are likely to be especially prevalent on Fridays. Heating and cooling may not be on in many areas. This is, of course, true for the entire Center Building and its environs as the CLASS project team does their best to stay on schedule over the summer; but it is also true in many regions of the campus--these Fridays offer the chance to get a lot done without the usual restrictions, all on the assumption that the vast majority of us are off-campus.

What's Next?

If you are around this summer, here are a few things you can expect in just the next two or three weeks:

• We are continuing our site preparation work and utilities excavation at the west side of the Center Building. This will make way both for the new and improved Titan Store and the remarkably awesome new plaza area that will slowly take shape in the days ahead. This is noisy and intense work that can involve heavy equipment, but it's absolutely essential.
• Abatement work begins next week throughout the building in areas that will be impacted by construction; it may continue into the following week.
• We'll also begin constructing shear walls as part of our seismic upgrade work and we'll start work that will set us up for some new and improved restrooms on the first floor some time this fall.
• There is a lot of juggling taking place as we create new classroom space and as staff from the Center Building move into temporary digs in other locations across campus--notably in Building 18.

In brief, it will be a very busy summer!

Totally Worth It

You know how they always say, "Good things come to those who wait"? Well, this time we mean it!

The CLASS project really is a "class project", and if we can make it through the hassles over these next few months, and give one another a little extra grace, we will--soon enough--get to revel in the results and enjoy the fruit of our collective labor! Thanks for being a part.

Here's to a great summer at Lane Community College!

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The CLASS Update – Week of June 9

Great Expectations

In part one of our recent update series on what we can expect on campus during the CLASS project construction over these next several months, we summarized the hopes and dreams of our community as we reimagine the very heart of our campus and the various spaces within and around the Center Building. We described the season of perspiration that lies between aspiration and the goal of transformation, with the challenge of disruption that lies just ahead of us.
This is a HUGE project! We're doing much more work, touching many more square feet of space than we've done since the original campus construction in the 60s. And unlike some of the larger projects in the recent past--like the transformation of Building 10 or the construction of the Longhouse or the Health and Wellness Building (30)--the construction site isn't localized to the perimeter or one small corner of the campus. They call this the "Center" Building for good reason--it's right smack dab in the middle of everything!

Da Noise

While we're going to do our very best, using the quietest equipment available, there is no denying that construction is a noisy proposition. Saws, drills, and hammers--not to mention heavy equipment--all of it adds up to an increased level of background sounds punctuated by the occasional kaboom! Just like our response to heat and cold or various smells, some of us are just more sensitive to sounds. If that describes you, we want to enlist your help--please be patient with us and plan to work with us as we strive toward our goals together. Here are some things you should know:

• Sound Standards. As you might imagine, there is some science behind noise and what humans can tolerate. Like we've done with our temperature guidelines, we're working toward objective noise standards that will help guide us throughout the project. And just like with the heat, some of us are more tolerant than others. Our goal is to please the vast majority of us all of the time.
• Ear Plugs. We made ear plugs available during the demolition of the terraces, and they're back! If you are a little more sensitive than most, please feel free to pick up a pair of earplugs at no charge from Building 1, the Human Resource office (Building 3) or the Titan Store.
• What to Expect. Most of the work in the Center Building will be well within reason, sound-speaking, but it will also be reasonably constant at times. For example, in the chart below, you can see that the constant sound of a freeway generates the same impact as a pneumatic drill:

Typical Sound Levels Measured in the Environment and Industry

Noise Generators (at a Given Distance from Source)	A-Weighted  Sound Level  in Decibel	Indoor Noise Environments	Subjective Impression
	140
Civil defense siren (100 feet)	130
Jet take-off (200 feet)	120		Pain threshold
	110	Rock music concert
Pile driver (100 feet)	100		very loud
Ambulance siren (100 feet)
	90	Boiler room
Pneumatic drill (50 feet)	80	Kitchen with garbage disposal running
Freeway (100 feet)
Vacuum cleaner (10 feet)	70		Moderately loud
	60	Data processing center
		Department store
Light traffic (100 feet)	50	Private business office
Large transformer (200 feet)
	40		Quiet
Soft whisper (5 feet)	30	Quiet bedroom
	20	Recording studio
	0		Threshold of hearing

Illingworth & Rodkin, Inc., Handbook of Acoustical Measurements and Noise Control, 1988.

• Quiet Times. We're working with our General Contractor, Lease Crutcher Lewis, to be especially sensitive, as an example, during finals week each term. And of course, we will do our best to be responsive to special situations along the way.
• Bottom line. We are going to get to the finish line together, and all of us will need to adapt to a somewhat noisier campus soundscape over the life of the project in order to get there.

Shake it Up!

One of the best things about the CLASS project is that it takes a building that's eligible for AARP membership and upgrades its seismic capacity. What's that mean? In engineering-speak, we can attain "collapse prevention" in the event of an earthquake similar to that described in the current Oregon Structural Specialty Code. For all of us non-engineers, that means the Center Building will be a much safer place to find ourselves in the event of an earthquake.

This does add some complexity to the work in the building. In several instances, particular offices or other spaces are targets for shear wall construction that will help the building to stand steady in the event of lateral movement. In these specific cases, we'll have to move folks out temporarily so we can construct these before returning the new and improved spaces to their occupants.

Shower the People

Another upgrade to the building is that we'll have fire sprinkler coverage throughout--including the former basement and the 4th floor as well as the main project areas on levels 1, 2 and 3.
This is going to be one incredibly safe building!

Upstairs, Downstairs

As part of the building upgrade, there will be an additional elevator installed next to a new set of interior stairs where the exterior staircase now lives, near the entrance to the soon-to-be-new Titan Store.

Eyes on the Prize

Noise ... dust ... inconvenience ... displacement. If you've ever done any major remodeling in your home, you know what a drag it can be, day after day, week after week ... until that moment when the contractor packs up, the bills are paid and life is suddenly way better. Almost immediately, you can't even imagine that you ever lived without that new and improved space.

Let's circle the wagons, commit to kindness and collaboration, and prepare ourselves for the temporary pain that will soon enough be replaced by permanent gain.

The CLASS project, and a brand new Center Building is coming!

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The CLASS Update – Week of June 5

Groundbreaking ceremony Monday June 16, 10 a.m. Start in boardroom, then proceed to the plaza area for the ceremonial part of the project.

A Dream on the Threshold

We have a dream.

Here on the Lane campus, the Center Building, initially envisioned as the very heart of a learning community half a century ago, has been reimagined as a reinvigorated and vibrant new hub for this new century, this next chapter in our shared life.

Light already penetrates into formerly dark nooks and crannies as a result of the terraces recently removed. But there is much more to come: Quiet study spaces, collaborative conference spaces, ample social and dining spaces – places to learn, places to gather, places to dine, places to simply be. Yours, mine and our spaces.

We have a dream.

But in between this aspiration and the eventual transformation lies a season of perspiration. Between now and the project's end in the fall of 2015, there's a lot of work and a little bit of agony for us all to endure. We promise it will be worth it, but let's run down what you can expect.

Here's the scoop:

The Big Picture

First, here's the schedule from 30,000 feet, just to help us gain some perspective—just remember that these dates don't always include the time needed for early work activities and prep work by subcontractors:

• We are already working on "Level 0—the floor formerly known as the Basement". Trust us: by the time we're done, that dark and dreary word will no longer fit the open, airy spaces that will house several "mission critical" campus groups—including key student groups like OSPIRG, the No Cash Clothing Stash, the Rainy Day Pantry, the Torch and Denali.
• Work on the new Titan Store near the southwest corner of the Center Building has just begun and will continue through 2014, opening in its new location for next winter term!
• We move inside the building and start renovating the South End of the Second and Third Floors from about September 2014 through March 2015.
• Work to renovate the North End of the Second and Third Floors runs from December 2014 through August 2015.
• And the First Floor, including Food Services, gets its "extreme makeover" from approximately May 2015 through September 2015.
• Please note there will be exploratory and preparation work, including select demolition, throughout the first, second and third floors beginning as early as this August. So if you work in an impacted area, we may have given you earlier dates.

Essential Services

• Here's one of the most exciting announcements you'll hear about the CLASS project: sometime early this fall term, the old, awful restrooms at the northwest end of the cafeteria will be no more, replaced by new and improved and accessible restrooms!
• Library: Library services and all of the librarians will be in a temporary home by the end of this summer in Building 18. The reference materials that are most often accessed will be there, too. The library stacks will remain in the old library, and the staff will still be able to provide you with what you need.
• The Titan Store: The Titan Store will remain open through their transformation and move into their brand new location on the ground floor near the southwest corner of the Center Building by winter term.
• Food Services: Food services will continue to operate throughout the project. The cafeteria will remain open this summer, Monday through Thursday, all morning long till just after the lunch hour. Things will begin changing rapidly fall term, but great food will always be available!

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Construction Schedule Overview - as of Jan. 2014

You're always welcome to ask questions or express your concerns during the course of the project. Feel free to email CLASSProject@lanecc.edu or leave a voice message at (541) 946-3868. Urgent construction-related issues should be routed to the Facilities Management and Planning office at (541) 463-5000; and as always, emergency matters only should be reported to Public Safety at (541) 463-5555.

For additional information about the bond, contact Lane's Bond Project Managers.

If you have comments, questions or feedback concerning Lane's Bond, please email bond@lanecc.edu.