MSJC Temecula Valley Campus completed, “Cutting-edge academic facility” expands access to SW Rivco learning

July 27, 2021 Trevor Montgomery

TEMECULA, Calif. — C.W. Driver Companies, a premier builder serving California since 1919, today announced the completion of Mt. San Jacinto College’s (MSJC) Temecula Valley Campus, marking the first permanent campus for higher education in the city.

MSJC is part of California’s 116 community college system and trains local residents for jobs and prepares students to earn associate degrees and transfer to four-year universities. The new 350,000 square-foot facility addresses shortages in classroom space across the district will enable MSJC to expand access to the residents of Southwest Riverside County and the surrounding communities.

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The $60 million project consisted of a seismic retrofit and transformation of two, five-story office buildings into a cutting-edge academic facility. Located at 41888 Motor Car Parkway, the new 27-acre campus is equal in size to MSJC’s Menifee Valley Campus, which serves more than 15,000 students.

The school provides students access to a welcome center, veterans resource center, health center, dining hall, bookstore, career center and support services. The new campus features 22 classrooms, six science labs and five computer labs, as well as dedicated areas for faculty offices, conference rooms, a board room, collaborative spaces and study group rooms.

The $60 million project consisted of a seismic retrofit and transformation of two, five-story office buildings into a cutting-edge academic facility and campus that features 22 classrooms, six science labs and five computer labs, addresses shortage in classroom space across the district while providing education and job opportunities to Temecula Valley residents and the surrounding community. Idea Hall photo

“The team at C.W. Driver Companies was proud to partner with Mt. San Jacinto College to develop a convenient, accessible and quality educational facility for local students,” said Dave Amundson, project executive at C.W. Driver Companies. “By leveraging decades of experience in higher education and tenant improvement construction, we were able to successfully execute a seismic retrofit and complete upgrade resulting in a safe and modern environment for students to learn and pursue their passions.”

Previously owned by Abbott Laboratories and built in 2008, the two commercial buildings were seismically retrofit to meet DSA requirements during the first phase of construction. The scope of work included adding a total of 445 tons of structural steel to reinforce the steel columns on all five levels, in addition to reinforcing the existing foundation eight feet below the surface. Using a truck crane, the construction team carefully hoisted the structural steel members, each one measuring 30 feet long and weighing 1,500 pounds, into the building through a narrow eight-foot by six-foot window opening. The precision required to execute this task without damaging the building finishes demonstrated the team’s streamlined coordination and attention to detail.

“The ambitious undertaking of repurposing a multilevel commercial space for educational needs was both cost-effective and time-efficient thanks to the team at C.W. Driver Companies,” said Beth Gomez, vice president of business services at Mt. San Jacinto College. “The new campus and innovative design enables Mt. San Jacinto College to further our mission of transforming learners, communities and lives by expanding our footprint and accommodating more faculty and students.”

The community college district purchased the two office buildings from Abbott Laboratories for $56 million in 2018 to address increasing student enrollment and shortages in classroom space, specifically for courses students need to obtain an associate degree, career certificate or transfer to a four-year university. Supported by the community, the funding was provided by Measure AA, a $295-million bond measure, which voters approved in 2014 to build and upgrade learning environments throughout the district.

“With the expertise of C.W. Driver Companies, we have realized our vision to serve the residents of Temecula and the surrounding communities by establishing a permanent residence for MSJC in Temecula Valley,” said Dr. Roger Schultz, superintendent/president of MSJC. “This state-of-the-art facility will become the launching point for generations of local students who aspire for college and career success.”

MSJC is a comprehensive college serving a 1,700-square-mile area from the San Gorgonio Pass to Temecula. This Temecula Valley Campus is part of the district’s five-year plan, which also includes projects at the San Jacinto, Menifee Valley and San Gorgonio Pass campuses. C.W. Driver Companies is also the construction manager for MSJC’s STEM Science and Technology Building and the Building 200 Renovation and Addition projects (San Jacinto campus).

The 350,000 square foot campus also features a welcome center, veterans resource center, health center, dining hall, bookstore, career center and support services, as well as dedicated areas for faculty offices, conference rooms, a board room, collaborative spaces and study group rooms. Idea Hall photo

C.W. Driver Companies partnered with 19six Architects on the MSJC Temecula Valley Campus. Additional higher education projects by C.W. Driver include Orange Coast College’s (OCC) Kinesiology and Athletics Complex; OCC’s Student Union Complex; OCC’s Literature & Languages and Social & Behavioral Sciences Complex; the Pomona College Rains Athletic Center; California State University Dominguez Hill’s Science and Innovation Building; Mesa College’s Fine Arts Building; Chapman University’s Keck Center for Science and Engineering; Cal Poly Pomona’s Student Services Building; and Vanguard University’s Waugh Student Center.

About C.W. Driver Companies

C.W. Driver Companies is a premier builder serving California since 1919. In 2019, the historic company proudly celebrated its 100-year anniversary. As a leader in general contracting and construction management services, C.W. Driver Companies are on the cutting edge across a broad spectrum of industries, including education, commercial/office, technology, healthcare/biomedical, mixed-use, assisted living, entertainment, retail, industrial and civic. Ranked in Engineering News Record’s Top 150 General Contractors and Top 100 Construction Managers, C.W. Driver Companies has the ability to build a variety of projects, from large tenant improvements to small renovations and specialized projects through its affiliates Driver SPG and Good & Roberts. C.W. Driver Companies has offices located in Los Angeles, Irvine, Rancho Cucamonga, Anaheim, San Diego and Carlsbad. For more information, please visit www.cwdriver.com. Follow C.W. Driver Companies on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Submitted by: Idea Hall

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Contact the editor: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.