This content was published: December 13, 2011. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Rock Creek draws in neighbors to discuss proposed campus improvements
Photos and story by Gina Whitehill-Baziuk
Several neighbors and members of CPO7 (Community Participation Organization) turned out for the Neighborhood Meeting hosted on November 29 by PCC’s Rock Creek Campus and Bond Program staff to discuss the proposal to construct a 30,000 square foot addition to Building 7 and upgrade the campus quad area, located on the east side of Building 7.
David Rule, President of Rock Creek Campus, and Gina Whitehill-Baziuk, Bond Stakeholder Engagement Manager, talk with a neighbor about NW Springville Road.
“Thanks to voters’ support for the 2008 bond, PCC is expanding educational opportunities at Rock Creek,” said Linda Degman, Associate Director for the PCC Bond Program.
Barbara Linn, Rock Creek Bond Project Manager, reviewed PCC’s 2012-13 plans to submit its land use application to Washington County this December. Once approved, the College would start deconstruction in early June 2012, finishing most of Building 7’s east addition by fall 2012. She explained that Building 7 improvements should not cause an increase in students or automobile traffic on campus as the building will mostly provide critical “swing space” for classes during other bond-funded building on campus, namely Building 5. Rock Creek improvements will be the first building project under Washington County’s North Bethany Subarea Plan.
Wing-Kit Chung (right), PCC Vice President of Administrative Services, shakes hands with Greg Malinowski, Washington County Commissioner for District 2, during the meeting.
During the meeting Q&A, guests asked questions regarding
- parking impacts during construction
- traffic impacts and pedestrian safety on NW Springville Road and
- the proposed campus emergency egress on NW 185th Avenue.
In response to questions, the bond team members reassured guests that the event parking lot would not be used for construction staging during Building 7 construction, and the exact location for staging would be determined once PCC has a contractor on board and has put a logistics plan together with the campus community.
Bond team member Todd Mobley with Lancaster Engineering discusses traffic impacts for NW Springville Road with a meeting participant.
Team member Todd Mobley, with Lancaster Engineering, explained that “traffic impacts associated with Building 7 improvements are relatively minor and would most likely not trigger improvements for NW Springville Road.”
However, other campus improvements in the pipeline for this bond cycle, i.e. Building 5, may trigger improvements and PCC continues to work closely with Washington County on solutions to address traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
Jason Miller, Project Manager with OPSIS Architecture, explains the college’s land use application timeline.
In response to questions regarding the proposed campus emergency egress on 185th, Linn explained “the purpose of the 185th emergency egress is to provide a safe ‘flush’ for campus. Larger work planned by the County for 185th precludes PCC from pursuing an entrance strategy on 185th. The College will continue to plan for future growth to include planned intersection improvements and an egress road to 185th to be built during this bond cycle.”
Thanks Christine and Gina for helping us organize this event. Thanks to Janis and Sherry for the room set up and refreshments. Thanks to our wonderful design team for coming out and meeting with our stakeholders. Thanks also to our PCC administrative staff for coming out at night as well.