Cuyamaca College Completes New Communication Arts Building

Cuyamaca College completed the $45 million Communication Arts Center in El Cajon, Calif. in January of 2008. Gafcon Inc. provided construction oversight for the 88,590-sf building in Rancho San Diego (East San Diego County). Spencer/Hoskins Associates served as the project architect, and Rudolph and Sletten provided construction management services. The facility includes multi-disciplinary laboratories and independent learning facilities for areas of study including English, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), reading, speech, American Sign Language, music, fine arts, professional art, and related assisted learning. The center offers independent learning labs, performance and assembly spaces, and necessary support facilities to maintain the educational master plan for the associated curriculum. In total, the space offers 18 labs and 14 classrooms. This project is part of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD) Proposition R plan, a $207 million capital construction and renovation bond program approved by East County voters in 2002.  Proposition R is helping finance ongoing repairs, renovation and new construction at Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges over the course of 10 years. Since 2003 when Gafcon was retained by the GCCCD governing board, the firm has helped to plan and execute the bond program. Gafcon is responsible for assisting all bond projects, including estimating, accounting, creating design guidelines, bidding, construction progress reporting, contract negotiation, and design management.