Culver City Observer -

West Los Angeles College’s Office of Admissions, Financial Aid, Counseling, and other student services and the college’s first food court have a consolidated new home in the new Student Services Building. The attractive four-story structure faces the college’s new General Classrooms building which opened in February. The co-location of services facilitates better coordination between departments and provides more convenient access for students. Additionally, the new location is much closer to a parking lot which is helpful to prospective students and other visitors.

“We have a dedicated, knowledgeable, very professional staff who assist students in planning and providing resources to help them succeed. Now, we will be housed in a building where the outside matches what happens on the inside,” explained Betsy Regalado, Vice President of Student Services. The building also provides expanded capacity for several key offices.

Like the other new building it faces, this 47,877 square foot structure is certified “Gold” under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard. LEED is an internationally recognized mark of building excellence regarding environmental responsibility and energy efficiency. Features that qualified the building for this certification include use of recycled materials, high energy efficiency, and reduction of the “heat-island” effect generally caused by horizontal surfaces of a dark color.

“We are thankful to the community who made this building and our other recently opened facilities possible through their passage of the construction bond initiatives,” said college president Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh. He continued that he looks forward to welcoming the community to a college open house later this spring, tentatively scheduled for May 19.