This Piazza Draws a Walk From Students

In time to greet students for the fall semester, a large portion of Cypress College’s main walkway reopened Friday.

The 1960s-era “piazza,” a distinctive element in the college’s award-winning architectural design, had been fenced off for two years while it underwent $1.2 million worth of seismic retrofitting.

Part of the second-level piazza, which connects the administration, fine arts, humanities and science buildings, now is ready for use.

North Orange County Community College District officials, who cut the yellow “do not cross” tape Friday that had blocked entrance onto the north side of the concrete bridge, said they expect to open the rest of the piazza in the next couple months.

Students, especially those with mobility disabilities, said they are most grateful.

“It was hard to get around,” said student Kerri Ademic, who struggled with waiting for elevators, and maneuvering her wheelchair the long way to her classes.

Chris Terry, the college’s director of disabled student programs and services, said that about 200 students with mobility disabilities had problems getting around the construction fences and to their classes.

Trips from class to class averaged 10 to 15 minutes, making students late and causing them to rearrange their schedules.

Terry said the trips now should take less than five minutes, especially for those in electric wheelchairs who “will be able to zip across.”

“Now things will be wonderful,” Terry said. “The piazza has been one of the most attractive aspects of this campus.”

Other officials agreed, saying they are glad they were able to save the structure before a big earthquake could come and cause major damage.