About GRCC
Facilities Master Plan
Important Notice
The Facilites Master Plan site is undergoing revisions. If you have any questions, please contact Sam Ball, Director of Capital Projects at: (253) 833-9111 ext. 3316
As a part of Green River Community College’s overall plan to improve its facilities and service to students and the communities it serves, the college has developed this Facilities Master Plan (FMP).
The completion of the Bleha Center for the Performing Arts, the Technology Center, The Marv Nelson Science Learning Center, Salish Hall and the renovation of the SMT building (Cedar Hall) currently underway along with the Student Life and Trades replacement projects scheduled for construction in 2013 provided the college the opportunity to redefine a significant portion of the campus.
This 2012-2013 master plan update incorporates future renovations, replacement, and growth projects for funding over the next several State of Washington funding cycles. In addition to planning for future development, master planning work has also established conceptual criteria for a variety of campus planning, infrastructure, and environmental topics.
The primary goal of this master plan is to provide a tool that will assist Green River with its decisions regarding ongoing and emergent facilities development issues.
A framework for an ongoing master plan process is in place that describes participants, a communication plan with biennial reviews and updates as the college plans and facility needs evolve. The Facilities Master Plan Core Committee facilitates discussions with faculty, staff, administration, students, community members, regulatory agencies, and the Board of Trustees and provides leadership and guidance to maintain a responsive and viable facilities master plan.
The committee periodically develops plan revisions that respond to changing needs and create facilities that support evolving institutional goals.
Vision, Mission & Purpose
Vision
The Green River Community College Facilities Master Plan is a collaborative process that develops long-range capital solutions in response to evolving college needs.
Mission
Driven by the college's strategic plan and using input from design consultants, facility conditions surveys, life-cycle analysis, instructional, student affairs, and International planning efforts along with evolving needs are integrated into a long-range plan for facility replacement and growth.
Purpose
The capital budget provides funding for all Community and Technical Colleges to maintain and preserve over 15 million square feet of state- owned facilities, upgrade spaces to meet the changing needs of students, local communities and business, and construct new facilities to accommodate growth and accreditation requirements. This document will buttress the College’s bi-annual funding request in the state capital budget process.
As part of the budget process, colleges are required to submit capital requests that support their most critical needs. These requests include categories such as repairs, minor improvements, replacements, renovations, and major new construction (growth). The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) prioritizes these requests and forwards them to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) for consideration by the executive branch.
Design and construction funding through the SBCTC system are appropriated on a biennial basis in odd-numbered years by the state legislature.
The typical schedule is as follows:
- First Biennium: Design Funding
- Second Biennium: Construction Funding
The process from the decision to request funding to building occupation takes about 6 years.
There is significant competition for state funding among applying colleges. It is therefore imperative that this master plan accurately reflects the needs of the college and receives the full support of students, faculty, staff, and the communities we serve, as well as local and state political leaders.
Goals & Objectives
Goals
The primary goals of the master plan are to support the college Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan through the physical development of its campuses. Guided by established Master Plan Principles that reflect overarching college values and goals, the following specific goals for this 2012-2013 FMP update will endeavor to:
- Reflect the college’s values through its physical environment.
- Maintain the existing character, architecture, natural environment, and open spaces.
- Support the incorporation of sustainable opportunities in campus development.
- Promote the conservations of natural resources and energy in the construction, maintenance, and operation of buildings.
- Plan for maximum flexibility for adapting to the changing needs of education.
- Enhance the college’s connections to and with its communities through its physical plants.
- Anticipate and fulfill short-term instructional needs while planning for long-term academic programs.
- Avoid waste and disruption resulting from piecemeal projects.
- Establish realistic schedules and capital budgeting plans.
- Enhance fund raising and development opportunities by improving the image of the college in the community.
- Provide a healthy, safe, accessible place for learning.
Objectives
The master plan established a series of physical objectives. These fall into the following general areas.
- New construction projects to be developed via the SBCTC funding process for growth, renovation, and replacement projects.
- New construction projects to be developed via the COP (certificate of participation) funding mechanism.
- Development of the northern end of the main campus including consideration of buildings, parking, college identity and gateway development.
- Main campus infrastructure improvements including parking, IT/Telecom, and lighting.
- Main campus environmental upgrades which will enhance the physical environment for students, the community, and its visitors, including signage, circulation, landscaping, smoking, diversity, and outdoor recreational opportunities.
Methodology
Successful master planning projects begin with the planning team gaining an understanding of the functions or operations to be performed within the campus. The planning team conducted a series of programming workshops, facility tours, data collection, and observations.
The team then examined the college’s strategic plan, instructional and student services plans, International Programs planning efforts, and the facility conditions surveys, to insure that evolving needs are integrated into a long-range plan for facility replacement and growth.
That information is documented herein.
In January 1, 2008, the City of Auburn annexed the portion of Leah Hill that encompasses the main campus. The annexation provides the college an opportunity to collaborate with the city to address campus issues such as:
- Sustainable Design/Low Impact Development
- Campus Entrance/Gateway
- Traffic (Vehicular and Pedestrian)
- Circulation/Parking/Wayfinding
- Stormwater Systems
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Sustainable Design
Green River Community College has a long history of environmental awareness. The design of the recently completed Technology Center and the Marv Nelson Science Learning Center exemplifies the latest efforts to maximize the principles of Green Architecture, the reduction of energy consumption, elimination of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), and maximization of natural lighting systems. Locating both centers on the former track and field minimized the impact on surrounding vegetation. Although a LEEDs (U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification was not a specific goal, the target for both centers was a LEEDs Silver Rating.
During the 2005 legislative session, the governor signed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5509, requiring state-funded projects over 5,000 s/f to be designed, constructed, and certified to at least the LEEDs Silver Rating.
Salish Hall completed in summer 2011 is the first project on the main campus to apply for and receive a LEED Silver Certification.
Sustainable Principles
Consideration of the natural campus setting was foremost during all programming workshops as described by the following FMP sustainable design (Green Architecture) Principles:
- We will construct and maintain facilities that incorporate quality, sustainable design elements, enhance the Green River experience, and effectively use space for all college functions.
- Our respect for the land will create a desire for all things to work together.
- We will strive to be ecologically responsible in all planning efforts.
- We will preserve and protect the natural environment of the campus through continuity of architecture and control/management of green and open spaces.
Campus Character
Planning workshops began with discussions regarding the physical presentation of the Green River campus to the students and community it serves. A series of goals were developed as an aid to generating elements that will enhance not only the visual image of the college but also strengthen the general campus organization and service opportunities. This will result in a more user-friendly environment.
Site Planning
During the workshops, the planning committee discussed the relationships of the spaces with their associated programs and services. Appropriate locations on campus for growth, renovation, and replacement, and the areas available/ required at each location, were determined. A series of new capital construction projects is proposed and located such that the projects organizationally support the campus planning goals. See Project Timelines for specifics.
Infrastructure
Design and construction funding for necessary substantive campus-wide infrastructure needs such as; campus utility loop construction; roadway and traffic improvements; mass transit/parking facilities, etc., are extremely difficult to obtain. It is essential that these needs be carefully planned and incorporated into the overall sequence of capital and master plan development. To the greatest extent appropriate, the costs of infrastructure needs shall be attached to specific building development projects in order to obtain the necessary funding though the normal funding mechanisms established by the SBCTC. See Development Program for specifics.
Principles
Green River Master Planning will be a collaborative process that utilizes effective communication to develop capital solutions in response to college needs. Extensive effort will be made to involve campus stakeholders in all master planning efforts through regularly scheduled effective communication with the campus community.
Our planning process will be:
- Congruent with and supportive of Strategic, Instructional, Student Services, International, and Technology Plans;
- An evolving process responsive to current information and future trends (Where are we? Where do we want to go? How will we bridge the gap?);
- Forward-thinking, flexible, and clearly defined.
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Design Ideals
We will create designs that meet the access needs of our patrons and communities. Facilties will be constructed and maintained that incorporate quality, sustainable design elements, enhance the Green River experience, and effectively use space for all campus functions. Regulatory agencies will be included as appropriate in the master planning process.
Cultural Inclusion
Development on campus shall seek to establish a framework of cultural inclusion within which diversity can be expressed. This framework should not seek to impose specific cultural values or images but should offer a backdrop for cultural diversity to find expression by the Green River community.
Examples of framework may include:
- Providing plaza areas for use by groups for expression such as dance, music, food, theater, etc
- Designating certain public walkways as “cultural paths” and providing space within the walkway for groups to install culturally specific paving patterns.
- Establishing an area for a sculpture garden where groups may install sculptures reflecting their communities.
- Providing space for art which celebrates the cultural diversity experienced on campus.
The intent of these examples is to provide a framework that can accommodate continual expansion and evolution of expressions of diversity. These expressions are works in progress that will be developed by many communities over the life of the college.
Natural Environment
Our respect for the land will create a desire for all things to work together. We will strive to be ecologically responsible in all planning efforts.Our goal will always be to preserve and protect the natural environment of the campus through continuity of architecture and control/management of green and open spaces.
Social Environment
We believe Green River is about people. We will strive to create a campus environment that encourages social interaction between students, staff, faculty and community members. Physical spaces will be created that can be used for social interaction, co-curricular activities, and outside events.
Instructional Space
We will provide optimal space for quality teaching and learning environments that supports teaching innovations. Our instructional, support and community spaces will be:
- Accessible to the learning needs of students;
- Flexible to anticipate the changing needs of continuously evolving teaching methodologies and a growing campus and community;
- Adaptable for multiple purposes;
- Enhanced by technologies that encourage innovative teaching and service delivery;
- Sensitive to environmental issues.
Technology
Instructional Space
We will support emerging technology opportunities that enhance the learning environment for student, staff and faculty through appropriate infrastructure development and operations.
Accessibility, Safety and Security
We will create and maintain building designs, public walkways, traffic flows, and parking that provide equal access to campus programs and services. Optimal lighting and signage will be provided to enhance a safe and secure campus environment. We will strive to provide adequate parking stalls with a goal towards maintaining and improving the aesthetics of our campus environment. We will attempt to mitigate the impacts of traffic and parking on our surrounding community.
Community Outreach
We will consider community needs as an integral part of our facilities master planning process for all our college locations. Collaboration with our communities and local industry will be important to meet facility needs.