The district, which serves 20,000 students through San Bernardino Valley College and Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, will match the state dollars using Measure CC money approved by voters in 2018 to modernize district facilities.
District board Chairwoman Anne Viricel said in a news release the two projects “will directly serve Inland families by expanding career advancement opportunities and a better quality of life.”
A modern workforce training center at SBVC will be a hub for students pursuing careers in water management, automotive repair, heavy truck technology, machining, electrical heating and air conditioning, among other fields.
Set to replace one of the campus’ oldest facilities, the 114,000-square-foot, two-story building will be a sustainable structure with indoor and outdoor lab space for hands-on training.
Construction is slated to begin later this year.
The second infrastructure project will bring a new arts education and performance venue to Crafton Hills College, replacing the 43-year-old Finkelstein Performing Arts Center.
In addition to classrooms, the new facility will have a 270-seat main theater, as well as a black box theater, a costume shop, theater scene shop, music recital room and recording studio.
Construction will begin next year.
“Whether through hands-on career training or inspiring creative thinking,” Chancellor-Designate Diana Z. Rodriguez said in the news release, “we envision building our community colleges into vibrant places of learning and intellectual stimulation for our local students, families, faculty, and staff.”
District officials expect both facilities to open in 2024.
©2021 the San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, Calif.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
