Recent News 

Greenhouse Facility Opens for Classes  
Grand opening ceremony set for April 13 

Completed in December 2009, JJC's new greenhouse facility is the first project to be built as part of the college’s master plan. It features a multi-purpose classroom and three greenhouses totaling nearly 9,000 square feet.

The LEED-certified building also features a rainwater harvesting system, passive ventilation system that reduces energy consumption, and an energy reflective roof surface to reflect solar energy and reduce cooling loads.

The college will hold a grand opening for the building on April 13. More information will be sent out as it becomes available. 

Outdoor Area Between A- and C-Buildings to Close the Week of Nov. 16
 

A new walkway is being constructed to provide access between the A- and C-Buildings since the current outdoor area will be closed during Campus Center construction. This area will close the week of Nov. 16 and will remain closed until construction of the Campus Center is completed.

From that point on, access between the A- and C-Buildings will only be allowed through the constructed walkway. B-Building can be accessed from the south side entrance near V-Building or through the hallway in C-Building.
 
Please Note-B-Building Access 2nd floor: For students or staff members with disabilities who need to access the second floor of B-Building, you will need to take the elevator in T-Building to the second floor, and cross into the B-Building from the second floor of A-Building.
 
New directional signage will be posted throughout the affected areas. We appreciate your patience during this construction period. 

Forty-year Temporary Building Demolished

It was a building demolition 40 years in the making. View slideshow of KK Building Demolition.

And when the Kaskaskia (KK) Building finally started coming down, it marked the end of one era and the beginning of another.

The college demolished the KK building, one of five remaining temporary buildings from 1969 that were used while the Main Campus was constructed, to prepare for construction of the new campus center building.

"As exciting as it was to see the beginning of the demolition, I couldn't help but reflect back on 40 years ago," Dr. Gena Proulx said. "I am certain there was an air of excitement as ground was being broken to construct the temporary buildings for what was to be a new community college."

"Our excitement today for the future builds on that past and reminds us of the many trustees, faculty, staff and students who have been served well over the past years."

The removal of the KK building and the other green survivors is being funded by the state's $31 billion capital plan. The college received approximately $8.1 million through the Capital Development Board for the temporary facilities replacement project, which will cover the demolition and removal of the buildings that currently house the Facility Services Department.

The funds will also pay for a new replacement building, which will be located on the north side of the Main Campus.

JJC Breaks Ground on Campus Center

The college held its second groundbreaking ceremony of the year for the new Campus Center on Aug. 25 on the Main Campus south of the existing greenhouse.

The building, which will be LEED-certified with green roofs, will provide one-stop access to all student services, additional parking and access to natural areas. It is expected to be completed in July 2011. Click here to view photos from the event.

Summer 2009 Parking Projects at Main Campus Complete

Work on the second phase of the summer 2009 parking projects is complete and all parking lots are open for the beginning of the fall 2009 semester. A total of 326 new parking spaces were added to the Main Campus as part of the project, bringing the number of spaces to 3,494. Click here for complete details.

Campus Center Stairwell Completed

A stairwell for the new Campus Center has been built in the area between A- and C-Buildings near the Early Childhood Center. This work, along with utilities and other underground work ongoing, needed to be completed before construction on the Campus Center gets underway later this year.

Update on the Summer 2009 Parking Projects at Main Campus

Phase One of the summer 2009 parking projects is expected to be completed on Friday, July 3. North Lot 2 and South Lot 1 will reopen on Monday, July 6.

Phase Two of the summer 2009 parking projects will begin on Monday, July 6. This phase will involve the reconfiguration of East Lots 2 and 3, which will be closed from July 6-Aug. 21 and will reopen on August 24. Click here for complete details.

Summer 2009 Parking Projects Update

Phase One of the summer 2009 parking projects is expected to be completed on Friday, July 3. North Lot 2, which is the student lot north of J-Building, and South Lot 1, which is the student lot south of the C- and D-Buildings, will reopen on Monday, July 6. The first two rows of North Lot 1, the faculty/staff lot north of J-Building, will not be open until Tuesday, July 7, due to restriping of spaces.

Phase Two
Phase Two of the summer 2009 parking projects will begin on Monday, July 6. This phase will involve the reconfiguration of East Lots 2 and 3, which are east of the T-Building. Both lots will be closed from July 6-Aug. 21 and will reopen on August 24.

Parking for Persons with Disabilities
Parking spaces for persons with disabilities currently located in East Lots 2 and 3 will be relocated to the front rows of East Lot 4.  

Construction Underway at

Greenhouse Site

Construction is underway at the site that will be home to Joliet Junior College's new greenhouse facility. Contractors are doing site preparation in

cluding utility locates, tree removal, and installation of silt and construction fencing.

View more construction photos »

The building, which is the first project of the college's $220 million master plan, features a multi-purpose classroom and three greenhouses (warm, cool, and cold) totaling 8,500 square feet with a passive ventilation system that reduces energy consumption.

"Yesterday, we reviewed computer technology that will be in the new greenhouses," said Dr. Jim Ethridge, department chair of agriculture and horticulture, "The college will be proud of what we will have to offer the community in this new facility."

Construction on the greenhouse facility is expected to finish in October 2009.

College Prepares for Parking Issues During Upcoming Construction Projects

In preparation for multiple construction projects over the next few years, the college's senior leadership team has approved a plan to increase the number of parking spaces on the Main Campus.

Currently, the campus has 3,168 parking spaces, which will be increased by 326 after the reconfiguration of current lots. The work will be completed in two phases during the summer when demand for parking is at its lowest.

David Agazzi, vice president of administrative services, cautions that the gain in parking will be offset in late fall 2009 when construction begins on the college's new campus center and facility services building. Parking lots located near each project will be used for staging for materials and equipment associated with the building projects.

"Though we will lose parking once major construction begins, the additional parking spots created by the parking reconfiguration project this summer will keep our overall parking numbers at or near their current levels," Agazzi added.

Phase One will be May 25-July 3 and will involve the reconfiguration of North Lot 2, which is the student lot north of J-Building, and South Lot 1, which is the lot south of the C- and D-Buildings. Both lots will be closed during this time.

Phase Two will begin July 6-August 21 and will involve the reconfiguration of East Lots 2 and 3, which are east of the T-Building. Both lots will be closed during this time.

"Parking is always a challenge during construction," Dr. Proulx said. "We will all need to be patient as we work to build a better JJC."

Legat Architects Presents Schematic Design of Facility Services Building

Right Photo: Rendering of Facility Services Building

View more rendering photos »

Legat Architects presented the schematic design of the Facility Services building to trustees at the college's April 14 board meeting. The approximately 35,017-square-foot building will centralize the college's custodial, grounds, and maintenance areas. These functions are currently housed in the temporary buildings, which will be demolished as part of the Campus Center and parking construction projects.

The building, which is projected to be completed in fall 2010, will also have a heated vehicular storage, administrative areas, and the college's shipping and receiving. The college is expected to break ground on the $7.9 million project on Sept. 29, 2009.

"This building complements the original buildings on the Main Campus, and we are pleased with its look and design. It's exciting to see progress on another Master Plan project," said Dr. Gena Proulx, JJC president.

JJC Breaks Ground for First New Facility in Master Plan

Despite a steady downpour, Joliet Junior College administrators and community members took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking Tuesday, March 31, for the college's new Greenhouse Facility on the Main Campus.

The new Greenhouse Facility, the first of many buildings to be constructed as part of the college's $220 million master plan, aspires to be one of the first greenhouses in the nation to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - New Construction (LEED-NC) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The ceremony was held at the future site of the facility, which is located at the old farmstead near the corner of Houbolt Road and the exit road of Main Campus.

"Putting shovels into the ground today is more than just a symbolic gesture of the beginning of the Greenhouse Facility project,” Dr. Gena Proulx, JJC president, said. “It is also a reaffirmation of our commitment to teaching and learning, which has been a hallmark of JJC for the past 108 years, and will continue to guide us for the next 100 years."

According to Legat Architects, the facility features three greenhouses (warm, cool, and cold) totaling 8,500 square feet with a passive ventilation system that reduces energy consumption. The 3,000 square foot horticulture building includes a multi-purpose classroom for 30 students, a head house for potting, two coolers for bulb storage, a pesticide storage room, and a shared office.

"This Greenhouse Facility will truly be an impressive building with state of the art features that include a mechanically operable roof and passive cooling system," Proulx said.

An on-site system treats and reuses greenhouse irrigation system runoff to water the outdoor garden, while rainwater is stored in four underground tanks, then pumped back into the greenhouse.

Construction on the Greenhouse Facility is expected to finish in October 2009.

Legat Architects is also designing JJC's Campus Center, Library, Facility Services Building, and classroom remodeling, which are all part of the college’s master plan.

For more information, contact Kelly Rohder at (815) 280-2915 or e-mail krohder@jjc.edu.

Greenhouse Information

Features

• Mechanically ventilated operable roofs
• Passive cooling system
• Computer-controlled greenhouse system

Educational facility features

• Multipurpose classroom
• Faculty office space
• Greenhouse support spaces

LEED features

• Rainwater harvesting system
• "Grey water" formal garden irrigation from onsite sanitary treatment system. All building water as it exits the building will be directed into this system and available for non-consumable on site plant irrigation.
• Water efficient plumbing fixtures
• Energy efficient mechanical systems and lighting
• High recycled content building materials
• Energy reflective roof surface (High SRI value) to reflect solar energy and reduce cooling loads
• Compact footprint for less impact to the site
• Use of existing site features like the parking lot to reduce materials required to construct the project