A ceremonial groundbreaking took place this week for the new Arts & Humanities and Business Technology buildings at San Diego City College, the latest San Diego Community College District projects funded by Propositions S and N.

Turner Construction Co. is the construction manager for the $89.2 million project. Other principals include X-nth, electrical/mechanical engineer; Stedman and Dyson Structural Engineers; Wallace, Roberts, and Todd Landscape Architects; and Gafcon, Propositions S and N program manager.

Designed by Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects, the buildings are expected to earn a LEED gold certification.

The Arts & Humanities building will consist of approximately 128,000 sq ft of new construction for the Arts and Humanities department. The building will include new classrooms, a lecture hall, computer labs, a 99-seat black box theater, and studio space for drawing, ceramics, sculpture and graphics.

The Business Technology building will consist of approximately 62,000 sq ft of new construction for the Business Department, and will include seven computer labs, classrooms, a lecture hall, and areas for start-up businesses for students in the business education program.

Green elements include use of natural daylight and storm water management; projected energy savings of 572,460 kWh annually, which is 25% better than state requirements; water-efficient plumbing, irrigation and landscape that will result in a water savings of 40% on the building use and 50% on landscape and use of materials and finishes that include recycled content and attention to indoor air quality.

The $1.555 billion Propositions S and N construction bond program is providing new state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities, major renovations, parking and public safety enhancements, and campus wide infrastructure projects at City, Mesa and Miramar colleges and six Continuing Education campuses throughout San Diego.