New Horticulture/Lab School/STEM Lab

Q2 2026 Project Update 

June  

Architect of Record (AOR), Gensler, with input from the Building User Group, developed the final preliminary plans package, consisting of an exploratory design, including broad sketches of spaces, logistics, and site plans.

The Campus Project Team, Fullerton Leadership, and the District are tracking a potential discrepancy between the estimated construction cost and the available budget. Potential avenues for funding are being identified if supplementation is required in the future.

Conversations have taken place with the state to determine next steps for the submittal of the preliminary plan package in the coming weeks. The State Chancellor’s Office will then initiate its review of the document for design conformity. If the package is acceptable, the project will be greenlit to proceed to the Department of Finance for additional review and potential funding for the next phase of design. Upon receiving authorization to move ahead, the working drawings are expected to start in the second half of 2026. This phase will involve refining the design into a buildable project with an eye on the required materials, systems, and layouts, as well as the final set of blueprints for DSA review and consideration to authorize construction.

The Campus Project Team and Design Team are conducting meetings with the Building User Group and Department Dean to identify swing space needs and the feasibility of existing options to fulfill department and campus requirements for the duration of construction. Additional conversations have taken place with the Vice President of Instruction to assess site adjustments to potential swing space locations to support this goal. The continuation of this process is predicated on the resolution of the potential gap in budget previously described.