2 weeks Ago By By JULIE DRAKE Valley Press Staff Writer
LANCASTER — Antelope Valley Community College District administrators and trustees held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for The Commons, the final project to be constructed with proceeds from Measure AV, the $350 million bond measure passed by local voters in November 2016. The Commons will be a 47,353-square-foot facility that will serve as the campus core for student life. The project will include a full kitchen and dining facility, indoor and outdoor spaces for large gatherings and a student life center that supports student interaction, support and clubs, as well as the student government offices.
The building will be constructed just west of the two-story, 61,882 square-foot Student Services building, another Measure AV project that opened in April 2023. “It’s kind of bittersweet because here we are at the tail-end of a $350 million project and we are groundbreaking the last building in the series today,” AV College Superintendent/President Jennifer Zellet said. Zellet called the Student Services building and The Commons “companion” buildings that will complete the whole student experience at AV College.
“You know this building means a lot,” she said. “It means a lot to me because it’s called The Commons, right. Sitting in the heart of the campus this really promises to become the heartbeat of campus.
” She added The Commons will be symbolic of how AV College is committed to serving its students. “All of our groups who have services and who meet together to find support and build community will happen right here all in this one space,” she said. “And to me that is a beautiful symbol that we want in the middle of our campus.
We want that to be where students gather, form community and make those connections that make their education meaningful for life.” The approximately $55 million project almost didn’t happen. More than two years ago, in May 2022, district administrators dropped the building from the project list due to rising costs.
Less than four months later, the project was resurrected thanks in part to a shuffling of several funds, including about $10.5 million from the Maintenance and Operations Endowment. The district also received an historic allocation of about $9 million in scheduled maintenance dollars from the state.
Board President Michael Adams, Board Vice President Steve Buffalo and Clerk Barbara Gaines were on the board more than eight years ago that put the bond measure on the ballot for local voters. “I cannot express how excited I am to be here today especially for this wonderful building, which will change the lives of our students and community for a long, long time,” Gaines said, adding the project almost did not happen. “It will have a positive impact on all of the young people.
Some of the students who are still in elementary today will one day be able to enjoy the benefits that The Commons will bring.” Buffalo started as a student at AV College in 1967 out of Antelope Valley High School. “This campus has transitioned so much changed so much,” he said.
“I congratulate the community; they supported the college and we’ve done amazing things, and it’s been really, really a fun ride and serving a lot of students.” Adams noted that 32 years ago his wife started working at the college. A couple of years later, he started taking classes there on a part-time basis.
A short time later, he taught at the college. “All those buildings are gone,” Adams said. “Back then, if you talked about AVC to anyone in the community, you said, ‘Well I teach computer science at Antelope Valley College,’ they’d say, ‘Oh, Tumbleweed Tech,’ or is you said, ‘I’m going over to AVC,’ they’d say ‘Oh, Tumbleweed Tech,’ ” he said.
“It’s no longer Tumbleweed Tech. We are now a modern campus, the envy of every community college district in the state.” Adams thanked the community for supporting the college and trusting them to build the buildings they did with Measure AV funds.
“We will make sure our students are successful and move on in life to better futures,” he said. Assemblyman Tom Lackey said he is proud of AV College for a number of reasons. “Personally, my son was launched into an aerospace career because of his instruction that he got there through some very creative programming,” he said.
He added with the cost of eduction “smothering,” it is refreshing to know that students can attend a community college at an affordable cost to begin their career pathway. “This is something to be extremely proud of,” he said. jdrake@avpress.
com.
