Community college district opens technical education facility in Tustin, Calif.,

The South Orange County (Calif.) Community College District has dedicated the first building at its Advanced Technology and Education Park (ATEP) in Tustin. 

The $29.35 million Integrated Design, Engineering and Automation (IDEA) Building will house career technical education programs for Irvine Valley College at the ATEP site, a 62-acre development on a former Marine Corps Air Station.

ATEP will focus on advanced technology, career technical education, and workforce development training programs to support high-demand jobs. The district’s two colleges, Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College, are expanding academic programs and collaborative partnerships at ATEP with business and other educational institutions.

“ATEP gives our district the unique ability to create public-private partnerships and provide essential training and education for jobs that support local industry," says Timothy Jemal, president of the community college's board. "The IDEA Building is the first of many buildings that will bring this innovative space to life.” 

The 32,492-square-foot building has specialized teaching facilities and laboratories for alternative energy, optics/photonics, electronics, and automation/digital manufacturing. The large central lobby will serve as a social corridor for students, faculty, and community members. The project includes 50 kilovolts of solar electric power and will be a LEED Gold-equivalent building.

ATEP is part of the 1,600-acre Tustin Legacy redevelopment project, which includes regional parks, housing, public schools, commercial business, a million-square-foot mall, a research park, conference center, and hotels.

Saddleback College is planning its own Center for Innovation in Healthcare Education, which is the next building slated to open at ATEP. 

The architects is Dougherty Architects, and the builder is McCarthy Building Companies.