STORY AND PHOTO BY AIDEN EISEL, SPORTS EDITOR
The construction of the Fine Arts Building has continued throughout the fall semester and will continue throughout the year. It is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
The Fine Arts Building is connected to the Humanities, FASS, and the College Complex Buildings. Many of the classes that once were in the Fine Arts Building are now stationed in the FASS building until the construction of the new Fine Arts Building is complete. The building houses the classes for many programs on the campus, including music, art, ceramics, painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and media and communications.
The construction will include a full makeover of the three-story building, which sits at 66,765 feet, and includes a mezzanine. They will also be adding a recital hall, galleries, and other support spaces. In addition, the fire safety, technology, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems will all be upgraded and noise intrusion in certain areas will be mitigated to avoid distractions from music practice.
Many of these renovations will help with teaching, learning, and providing collaboration spaces. This is to make the point of the renovation a way for students and faculty to have a better work environment. With the construction estimated to take up more space on campus and not being set to finish until the summer of 2026, many parking lots in the surrounding areas will remain closed off.
They are currently on phase three of the current project plan which started on Aug 26, 2024, which is the last phase of the current plan. The staff parking lot, parking lot 8, will still be closed off during that time, with the SEM Parking lot being the main staff parking lot for now. The ADA spots west of the Humanities buildings have now reopened for use.
The expected work hours on the construction are from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day. There will be loud noise during the work hours until around May 2025. The fence around the surrounding buildings will make it more difficult for some students to get to their classes and eliminate shortcuts. Students are encouraged to arrive on campus with time to avoid being late to classes.
According to the Cypress College website, the goal is to “Improve the energy efficiency in the building in addition to building a better irrigation system to help with the water in the building.’’The building also will include an additional recital hall that will be open from 8 a.m. to approximately 11 p.m. during the week. It will also include classrooms for labs and lectures for music, photography, and art.
There are currently no significant updates on the project at this time, but the construction will continue for the until summer 2026.
