Moreno Valley Regional Learning Center, the fifth of eight new facilities that will serve various educational needs, is under construction in Riverside County. Escondido-based Erickson-Hall Construction is working on the project, expected to open by November.
In an effort to improve services for students in Riverside County who need an alternative learning environment, a new center is under construction.
Escondido-based Erickson-Hall Construction, along with the Riverside County Office of Education, is leading construction on the Moreno Valley Regional Learning Center, the fifth of eight new facilities that will serve special, alternative and career technical education needs.
“The mission of the Riverside County Office of Education is to help all students succeed,” said Kenneth Young, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, in a release. “Placing this center in an area near the students where it is needed will help us succeed.”
This newest educational center will be approximately 31,000 square feet, comprising an administrative building and two classroom buildings, which will house a multi-purpose room, technical training classrooms, childhood development classrooms, a computer lab, kitchen preparation areas and a home economics lab.
Also, every classroom will have a projector to assist with the learning process.
Outside will be grass areas, a courtyard, a basketball court and volleyball area, in addition to a bus drop-off area and parking lot with multiple access points.
The center will offer alternative and special education, vocational and career technical training classes and a childhood development curriculum.
According to the Riverside County Office of Education, the number of students at the center depends on which programs are offered and how many classes are scheduled.
Major street improvements to Perris Boulevard, including the construction of a concrete center median, as well as a curb, gutter and sidewalk along Bay Avenue will also be a part of this project.
The facility will be wood-framed and will incorporate some structural steel, metal decking over walkways and higher efficiency polyvinyl chloride single-ply roofing material.
The resilient flooring is low maintenance and does not require stripping and waxing like most resilient floor materials do, according to Erickson-Hall.
The center will be equipped with some energy efficient and sustainable features like motion sensor lighting controls, a new type of HVAC unit that is lighter and more efficient than previous models and a low-flow irrigation system.
Also, more than 80 percent of the plant materials selected for the project need little to no water to be maintained.
There is also room being set aside to expand the facility in case of future growth.
Project cost is $9.1 million and is being funded by the State Allocation Board.
Completion of the Higginson + Cartozian Architects-designed project is expected by the end of July, according to Erickson-Hall and will open by November.
Four regional learning centers have already been built in Banning, Perris, Riverside and San Jacinto.
In the coming years, the Riverside County of Education plans to open three other centers in Murrieta, Indio and Jurupa.