LaGuardia Gets A Face Lift

LaGuardia Community College is getting a much needed makeover. On August 26, Councilman Eric Gioia announced the New York City Council allocated $2.25 million for new classroom space and other facilities.
The announcement comes at an exciting time for the college and Long Island City. Enrollment is up 16 % this year. College President Gail Mellow said that the renovations will allow the school to participate more fully in the renaissance that Long Island City is experiencing.
"As we build, it will create jobs in the area," said Mellow. "We hope to add to the economic development."
The college will use the money, matched dollar for dollar by New York State, to build new classroom space, laboratories, and staff offices in the old Sunshine Biscuit Factory.
Renovations will also include a one-stop student center that will encompass all the offices that students need to enroll in the college such as financial aid, counseling and admissions. "It will create a front door for the college," said Mellow.
The present accommodations require students to go to multiple floors and multiple buildings when trying to enroll.
"The students have been very excited about this. They have requested for a long time that we do this. It feels like we are trying to cut through the bureacracy of going to college," said Mellow.
The architecture firm Einhorn & Jaffe is working on plans for the building. New classrooms will open this fall, while the rest of the building will be ready in a year.