MENIFEE – Construction is complete on the new, $10 million social sciences and humanities complex at Mt. San Jacinto College’s Menifee Campus in Menifee. Built by C.W. Driver, the 33,885-square-foot facility, comprised of three, two-story buildings, welcomed students and faculty in the fall of 2012.

Situated in one of California’s largest and fastest growing college districts, the new building complex replaces the former humanities and social sciences departments, previously located in aging portables, and allows the college to move classes into a single complex featuring state-of-the-art equipment.

Connected by covered walkways, the wood-framed classroom buildings, located on the southern edge of campus known as the Campus Promenade, will serve as a gathering space for students and include classrooms for subjects such as English, anthropology, philosophy, sociology and psychology.

"While building the new facility for the campus, we wanted to deliver an upgraded facility that would encourage diverse and collaborative learning experiences," said Gregg Riddle, project executive at C.W. Driver. "Thus, we worked diligently with the university to provide a variety of classroom styles utilizing state-of-the-art equipment to create a new campus gem."

The first floors of the new facility have classrooms, labs, a library area and assembly rooms while the second floors also contain classrooms and labs, as well as faculty offices – each with its own windows. The complex also includes a 56-seat humanities theatre, a political science assembly room and a large lecture hall with tiered seating. Additionally, a complete security system with cameras and modifications to the fire alarm systems were completed.

To encourage student participation and alternative learning styles, the buildings provide a variety of learning spaces in conjunction with standard classrooms, such as wet labs for hands-on Advertisement

[ Berry-Bell and Hall Mortuary ] applications, language labs with smaller interior rooms for group conversations, and a communications studies center where students can observe social interactions or participate in role-playing. Also featured are four Eno boards, which save lecture notes in electronic form to be posted on the college’s website, further enhancing the learning experience while showcasing advanced educational technologies.

"We are thrilled to provide the Menifee Valley Campus with a new, state-of-the-art humanities and social sciences facility that our students and faculty will enjoy for years to come," said Mike Webster, facilities planning manager for the Mt. San Jacinto College District, who noted that the last new building to open on the campus was the Business and Technology Center in spring 2008.

The new complex joins a number of completed higher education projects C.W. Driver has built, which include the 75,000-square-foot health sciences and district office building for Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif.; the 70,000-square-foot Segerstrom Science Building located at the west campus entrance of Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles; and the 102,000-square-foot multidisciplinary building located on the Palomar College campus in San Diego.

The new social sciences and humanities complex features:

• Three, two-story buildings linked together by covered walkways, totaling 33,885 SF

• 18,495-SF first floor consists of four classrooms, four labs, a library area, and two assembly rooms; one with stadium-style fixed seating

• 17,225-SF second floor consists of four classrooms, three labs, and 16 administrative offices, each with private windows

• 65-seat humanities theatre which can show films

• Political science assembly room

• Large lecture hall with tiered seating

• Language lab classroom with four smaller interior rooms for small group conversations

• Communications studies center, also set up with small interior rooms for student observation or participation in role playing

• Landscaped common area for student gathering