West Hills College Lemoore breaks ground on Visual Arts and Applied Sciences building

LEMOORE, Calif. (KFSN) -- West Hills College Lemoore is expanding.

The golden shovels were out as administrators and construction crews officially broke ground Friday morning.

Construction will begin on a brand new state-of-the-art, 44,000-square-foot building that will sit right next to the Golden Eagle Arena.

West Hills Community College District Chancellor Kristin Clark says this project started about five years ago with architectural designs.

"We're thrilled because this will be the first two-story other than the Golden Eagle Arena on campus," Clark said.

The Visual Arts and Applied Science Building will serve as a hub for career technical education programs, art and nursing and health careers.

The added space will allow the college to expand the current nursing program from 32 students to 50 students.

College President James Preston says the building will have instructional spaces and labs.

"We'll be able to provide the latest and greatest technology, and virtual labs and those type of things for them,"

Preston says the college has been focused on bringing the community back into community college, and one way to do that is by raising their own professionals.

"We need to prepare students for the workforce, and when we talk about health careers, there's a huge shortage, so we need to be able to address that as a college and a community," Preston said.

Chancellor Clark says this is just one way the district is growing.

She says they'll continue to work to make each college comprehensive and full of opportunities for students.

"Our dreams are just to continue engaging with the community, make this a destination space and a space where students just thrive," Clark said.

Officials expect it to take 18 months to finish construction.

They hope to have students in classrooms by the fall of 2025.

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