FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Kicks Construction Plans into High Gear with Groundbreaking Ceremony
for a New Parking Access Ramp
The ramp to the top of auto-metal trades building is a “key building block” for multi-million dollar South Campus project to add new classroom buildings

(LOS ANGELES) – January 26, 2007 -- Celebrating the start of a “key building block” in its multi-million dollar effort to reshape the southern end of its downtown campus, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College broke ground on a project to move a ramp that provides access to a major rooftop parking lot.  The “F” Ramp project is an important first step to clear an area for the South Campus project, which will create a new college entrance with two new classroom buildings, an athletic field and subterranean parking garage. 

"Every master plan has a series of building blocks, and this is a key building block," said Dr. Roland J. Chapdelaine, president of Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.  "Relocating the F Building ramp will allow us to proceed with the main phase of the South Campus project, which is going to be huge."

The existing ramp will be relocated to the south end of the Auto Metal "F" Building located along Flower Street. 

"As I have been a part of Trade-Tech’s master plan process for a quite a few years now, it is very exciting to see it start to come to fruition," said Steve Neddleman, president of the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Foundation.  "Seeing these various pieces of the puzzle starting to happen is gratifying for everyone here on the campus."

The "F" Ramp and South Campus projects are part of Los Angeles Trade-Technical College’s $227.6 million construction and modernization effort to enhance its facilities, funded by the $2.2 billion Proposition A/AA Bond Program. 

"It gives me great pleasure to be here and voice the entire student body’s sentiment on this worthy endeavor," said Eddie Ramirez, president of Los Angeles Trade-Technical's Associated Student Organization (ASO). "This momentous groundbreaking deserves much attention and celebration because of the critical role it plays in the success of the master plan to enrich student life on campus."

The Los Angeles Community College District’s construction and modernization projects receive funding from Propositions A/AA, two bond measures overwhelmingly approved by Los Angeles voters in 2001 and 2003.  Propositions A/AA are providing more than $2.2 billion for new construction and renovations at each of the LACCD's nine colleges.  For more information, visit the construction program’s website at www.PropositionA.org.

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