The Board of Trustees awarded the construction project for a new press box at La Playa Stadium to Diani Building Corp. of Santa Maria during their Feb. 26 meeting.

The new, modernized press box is expected to be about three times the size of the current facility. It will include conference rooms for meetings and sufficient space for press during athletic events.

The project, which was initially estimated to cost $1.6 million, is currently expected to cost $1.1 million, because of slumping construction markets in California. The project is being funded in part by a $626,050 donation from the Luria family. The rest of the money will come from Measure V funds.

“This project has some sensitivity because of the donor gift,” Warren said. “The donor had some stipulation as to how long the money will be available.”

No effort has been made by the college to redirect these funds from the press box to other projects around campus.

“It is a donation that was agreed upon a long time ago,” said Superintendent/President Andreea Serban, referring to the donation by the Luria family.

Despite the college’s financial issues stemming from the state’s fiscal crisis there has been little opposition around campus to the construction of the modernized press box.

Instructors Association President Lynne Stark, who is currently in the midst of negotiating a new two-year contract with the district, praised the project.

“The bid for the job has come in much lower than anticipated, due to the current economic slowdown, so this is a good time to proceed with the building,” Stark said. “The instructor’s association does not oppose the construction of the press box.”

Construction is slated to begin in a week or so and the project will take about 300 days to be completed, which means it is expected to be functional around Jan. 1, 2010.

City College Athletic Director Mike Warren called the press box modernization project a priority of the institution as a whole not just the athletic department.

Warren said that the project has thoroughly gone through the college’s prioritization process but has been influenced by some outside factors such as the donor gift.

During the construction all the public announcement equipment in the current press box will be put into temporary trailers.

Correction: The Luria family donated $500,000 toward the new press box, not $626,050. The remaining $126,050 in donations came from a number of other contributors. The Channels regrets the error.