San Diego Community College District

San Diego Continuing Education will hold a grand opening celebration of its newest educational facility and campus car park. The project comprises a 67,924-square-foot, three-story César E. Chávez Campus building with an underground, 149-car parking area; plus a detached campus car park with 320 additional spaces and murals featuring the life and work of César E. Chávez that located two blocks east of the campus. The $58 million facility and car park is San Diego Continuing Education’s final bond-funded new construction. 

When: Wednesday, October 28th, 2015
Program: 10 - 10:45 a.m. Speakers and ceremonial ribbon cutting | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Building tours, live entertainment by Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez and Danza Azteca Calpulli Mexihca, and light refreshments.

Where: San Diego Continuing Education César E. Chávez Campus, 1901 Main St., San Diego, CA 92113.

Parking: Reserved parking for media is available in the underground lot below the campus.

Features: The project consists of land acquisition and construction of a new building to consolidate the current programs at the original César E. Chávez, which was adjacent to Chicano Park, and the Centre City Campus, which was downtown across from San Diego City College. The 67,924-square-foot facility houses 22 classrooms for vocational training, English as a Second Language (ESL), Citizenship, Adult Basic Education (ABE), high school equivalency preparation classes, Business and Information Technology, Parent Education and Emeritus (age 55+) programs. The new building also includes a multipurpose room, administrative offices, and space for the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Program. Underground parking provides 149 spaces, including preferred parking for carpools and high-efficiency vehicles.

Concurrent with the construction of the new classroom building, a new car park was constructed adjacent to the campus with 320 spaces to accommodate additional parking needs.

The César E. Chávez Campus is on track to obtain a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Visuals/Media Opportunities:
• Ceremonial ribbon cutting with oversized scissors - program begins promptly at 10 a.m. Ribbon cutting will happen immediately following the program at approximately 10:45 a.m.
• Tours of the facility by Architect Joseph Martinez.

Program Speakers Include:
• Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D., President, San Diego Continuing Education
• Maria Nieto Senour, President, San Diego Community College District, Board of Trustees
• Constance M. Carroll, Ph.D., Chancellor, San Diego Community College District
• Richard Weinroth, Academic Senate President, San Diego Continuing Education
• Neill Kovrig, Classified Senate President San Diego Continuing Education
• Paul Chavez, President Cesar Chavez Foundation
• Rachael Ortiz, Executive Director Barrio Station
• Joseph Martinez, NCARB, Martinez + CUTRI Corporation
• Christopher Manis, Vice Chancellor, Facilities Management, San Diego Community College District

The $1.555 billion Propositions S and N construction bond program provides new state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities, major renovations, and campuswide infrastructure projects at City, Mesa and Miramar colleges and six Continuing Education campuses throughout San Diego.