College Sports
Norco College will get new gym, athletics building – Press Enterprise
Construction of a $62.5 million building with a new gymnasium is set to begin in July at Norco College. The 56,000-square-foot facility will be named the Center for Human Performance and Kinesiology. It “fulfills a very specific need on campus related to the health and wellness of students and faculty as well as the local […]
Construction of a $62.5 million building with a new gymnasium is set to begin in July at Norco College.
The 56,000-square-foot facility will be named the Center for Human Performance and Kinesiology.
It “fulfills a very specific need on campus related to the health and wellness of students and faculty as well as the local community,” Hussain Agah, associate vice chancellor of facilities planning and development for the Riverside Community College District, said in a Thursday, May 1, email.
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A basketball court will be a feature of Norco College’s new kinesiology building, seen in an artist’s rendering. (Courtesy of Riverside Community College District)
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A basketball court will be a feature of Norco College’s new kinesiology building, seen in an artist’s rendering. (Courtesy of Riverside Community College District)
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Today, Norco College lacks the proper facilities to meet the demand of some physical education courses and other activities that would allow the campus to expand programs, he said.
“Many high-demand physical education courses share space in modular trailers at the moment,” Agah said. “…Currently, the college can only offer its students two sports: soccer and cross country.”
The new two-story building will house a gymnasium and give the college space for basketball and volleyball teams.
The building will include:
- A gymnasium court with 506-seat bleachers
- Gym equipment storage
- A lounge and classroom labs
- Men’s and women’s showers and restrooms
- Equipment and laundry rooms
- Student lockers
- Trainer support spaces, including an exam room, taping room and treatment room
- A weight room
- Exercise and wellness studios
- Faculty and staff offices
- Conference room
The construction cost is estimated at $51 million, but the total rises to $62.5 million when the expenses of equipment and furniture are included, Agah said.
Funding will come from the Measure CC, a school bond passed by voters in November, along with state money earmarked for the project.
The Riverside Community College District’s $954 million bond measure will pay for projects across the district’s three colleges: Riverside City, Moreno Valley and Norco colleges. These will include updates to safety and technology systems, modernizing facilities and expanding training programs.
At Norco College, programs are expected to shift to the new building by fall 2027. The college plans to limit the impact of construction and doesn’t anticipate street closures or any effect on parking, Agah said.
The Center for Applied and Competitive Technologies building, which is in the new project’s footprint at the rear of the school on West End Drive, will be demolished. Courses taught there will be moved by spring 2026.
When the new building opens, students can reserve some facilities, which will be listed on the Norco College website.
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