Bakersfield College students may not
realize it, but many construction projects
on BC’s main campus are nearly
complete, said La Mont Schiers, executive
director of administrative services
at BC.
Construction of The Norman Levan
Center for the Humanities on the north
side of the Business Education Building
is currently underway and will be done
by December of this year. The exterior
work, including brick structural work,
is completed. The outward part of the
structure is a half circle jutting out toward
Panorama, said Schiers. The interior
work needs to be done, including
woodworking, carpeting, plumbing and
dry walling.
Also, the Thermal Energy Storage
tank system, which is a great energy
saver, is nearly complete.
Schiers also said that upstairs in the
west area of Student Services there were
upgrades including new carpet, computers
and furniture. He mentioned that the
perimeters of the baseball and softball
fields have been newly hydroseeded. No
turf was brought in, said Schiers. Rather,
the hydroseeding method, which entails
dispersal of paper-shielded seeds upon
the ground, was employed. The paper
holds the seed to the ground and protects
the seed from being displaced by
wind, rain and birds.
Schiers also mentioned the possibility
of a new GET bus port on Panorama.
The port would include a pavilion with
restrooms so that bus patrons would
not have to traverse to the Humanities
or Business buildings to use facilities.
Work would not likely start until at least
2010, but the project is still in the discussion
stage. Schiers said the college
district will have to get approval from
the Division of State Architects board.
Schiers said that he was elated by the
possibility of a “photovoltaic system”
at BC. This system of power usage will
collect UV rays in panels hidden in a
carport-style structure. Cerro Coso, part
of the Kern Community College District,
has such a system. However, Schiers admits
Cerro Coso has more property than
BC for projects such as this. This project
is still on the discussion table and is being
analyzed for cost efficiency.
Schiers also spoke approvingly of
the Thermal Energy Storage tank system,
which will take pressure off of the
chiller loop system, which cools BC
main campus buildings. Ultimately, it
will decrease BC’s use of electricity.
This tank is located between Levinson
and the Grace Van Dyke Bird Library.
This container chills water at night until
hot daytime temperatures necessitate air
conditioning. The “Pump House,” which
will conduct the water properly, has been
set in place. This T.E.S. cooling system,
according to Schiers, will save electricity
and reduce carbon dioxide emissions
by 472,809 lbs. a year. Schiers said that
the process of connecting this tank system
to the existing chiller loop system is
almost complete.
“This way we will reduce our carbon
footprint,” Schiers said.
Gary Reed, director of construction
for KCCD, is delighted to witness the
installment of the T.E.S. tank because it
takes a lot of pressure off of the state’s
grid.
“The statewide grid has finite capabilities,”
said Reed. Soon, the grid will
not produce enough power; Reed said
“blackouts” or “brownouts” would result.
No one is sure when that will happen,
however.
Jack Hernandez, retired BC philosopher
professor and Levan Center director,
is overjoyed to see the progress that
has been made on the Levan Center, and
he is looking forward to the continuation
of the F.L.E.X. staff development
workshops that will be held there.
“I’m very pleased,” Hernandez said.
“It’s turning out to be everything that I
hoped it would be,”
Journeyman electrician Robert Chavez
of Turnupseed Electric said that the
Levan Center is now in the “rough in”
stage, and that all of the trades are present
working on the interior: plumbers,
electricians, glazers and others. Chavez
said that the Levan Center’s structure is
very hard to work with.
“Nothing’s square,” Chavez explained.
Mark Atkins is project superintendent
for S.C. Anderson, who oversees
the general construction for the Levan
Center project. Atkins said that in spite
of the inconvenience of the structure’s
shape, operations are running well.
He admitted that often a big construction
inconvenience consists of opening
up walls that have not been opened in
decades and could be full of asbestos.
No asbestos were found behind the torn
walls in the Levan Center area, he said.
A lot of BC students were unaware of
the construction projects. But all agreed
classrooms need improvement.
“I had no idea what they were doing,”
said Brian Wilkerson, 32, undeclared.
Ireka Huggins, 18, undeclared, said
the classrooms needed to be upgraded.
Eladia Mosqueda, 20, criminal justice,
concurred.
“Classrooms are overwhelmed,”
Mosqueda said.
Andy Lopez, 18, physical education
major, said he didn’t know there was
construction work going on.
“I don’t know what they’re doing out
there, but in classrooms, there are too
many desks and too many people. It’s
way too crowded.”