South Seattle College’s big construction project: About the Integrated Education Center

If you went to South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) this past Saturday for the West Seattle Car Show, and hadn’t been there recently, you might have noticed the sizable construction project on campus, along 16th SW.

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(WSB photo, taken last week)

The $32 million Integrated Education Center project is a major addition for the campus on Puget Ridge. We asked SSC spokesperson Ty Swenson for an overview; here’s the information he provided:

The new 57,550 square foot Integrated Education Center (IEC) will replace the existing Cascade Court Building (CAS) and provide for expanded growth in our health care programs and needs for basic skills training, which includes English as a Second Language (ESL), adult basic education and high school completion.

(Rendering by McGranahan Architects – looking east from 16th SW, showing pedestrian walkway and plaza improvements)

Three stories in total, the IEC’s first floor will have general purpose classrooms and computer labs. The second floor will be dedicated to health care programs and the third floor will house faculty and staff from various disciplines. There will be small collaborative spaces found throughout the building intended for small group meetings or projects, and there will be three outdoor spaces – one at the front entrance, a balcony on the west side of the first floor and a roof garden on the west side of the second floor.

The IEC will integrate classroom and lab space for the health care programs, adult basic education, and ESL programs as well as a supporting faculty suite. Co-location of these programs will increase the efficacy of vocational-focused ESL training, I-BEST (where we teach basic skills in reading, math and/or English while simultaneously providing job training) and nursing NAC-LPN-RN ladders to better serve ethnic minority students and students with emerging English skills.

This energy-efficient building will provide plenty of natural light and an atmosphere that is welcoming, conducive to learning in many modes and a great place for students, staff and faculty to engage in collaborative ways.

The IEC’s location offers an opportunity to improve the visibility and identity of South Seattle College along 16th Ave SW. The project was designed to provide a balance and transition between the scale of the campus and neighboring homes. With the removal of Cascade Court, pedestrian movement and outside gathering spots will be created and improved. An open pedestrian walkway from our main entrance above 16th Ave. SW will lead to an expanded Clock Tower Plaza, considered the campus’s core and main gathering spot for students.

Construction is expected to continue through next May, followed by college staff/programs moving out of Cascade Court, which will be demolished in summer/fall 2017.

P.S. You can check in on the progress via the official construction-site webcam.

2 Replies to "South Seattle College's big construction project: About the Integrated Education Center"

  • Alan August 30, 2016 (12:02 pm)

    It is exciting to see this growth. I would hope that the college would work with the city to improve street intersections that support access to the school. The intersection at Holden & Highland Park Way is especially dangerous for students and faculty headed to Georgetown or points south. The neighborhood keeps requesting funds for this, but the money always goes elsewhere. A push from the school would be great, preferably before someone gets killed at that intersection.

  • Tim August 30, 2016 (6:32 pm)

    That’s a dash out there and hope for the best intersection.

    Are they making a left are they going straight through?

    It’s not easy to see the up hill traffic either. 

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