Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: On Campus

Media Credit: Jay Embry Construction is occurring right outside of the library.

Having finally received all of the city-required permits, construction on Eastfiled's new Learning Studio Center is in full swing, and set for completion before the end of the year.

According to the Eastfield College Web site, the building will use the dynamic new space to create more engaged learning.

"The Learning Studio Center is a flexible space integrating technology, furniture, and people to support various teaching and learning styles," the site states.

Over a year has passed since ground was broken on the building, which will contain twenty classrooms and four larger meeting rooms. Bids are currently being taken for furniture suppliers. During this time the Eastfield College Construction Team, a group comprised of school and district officials and representatives from Roger's-O'Brien Construction Company, have met monthly to discuss layout changes and ongoing negotiations with the city.

In a timeline posted on the college's site, the Construction Team stated that one hundred percent of the needed paperwork was completed and approved by the city on August 15, 2007. Copies of the permits, obtained from the City of Mesquite, show this to be true as of January 16, 2008.

Larry Ewing with the city's Building Inspection Department said that Roger's O'Brien is clear to erect the entire structure. Adjustments to the water mains running along the north and west property lines will have to be implemented before any combustible materials may be moved into the building.

City of Mesquite Fire Marshal Alfred Paster has met with the Construction Team and is providing them with all fire flow requirements. Susan Hansen of the Dallas County Community College District explained the fire flow approval process.

"We are sending [Paster] simulations and doing water-modeling to ensure that the fire code is met," she said.

Planned changes to the water mains must first be approved by Paster.

The Learning Studio Center is planned to be 54,010 sq. feet and is being built at a cost of $10.9 million. The money for the project came by way of the district's bond issue, passed on May 1, 2004.

Eastfield's facilities director Art Sykes indicated that poor weather, along with pending approvals have caused some delays in the construction process. Never the less, Sykes remains optimistic of meeting the proposed move in date of January 1, 2009.


In addition to the new Learning Spaces Building, Eastfield has many new additions including the Lower Courtyard and the many Satellite Campuses.

The ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Pleasant Grove Satellite Campus was on February 7.

"All of the pieces are coming together," Sykes said.

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Contact Jay at etc4640@dcccd.edu

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