Building 26 Renovation

Students seeking health care careers will soon learn in the state-of-the-art Health and Life Sciences Building. To create the new space, Highline’s Building 26 is undergoing a major renovation.

Learn More

Construction Updates and Alerts: Learn the latest in the construction process. Here you will also find important alerts, such as when pathways will be blocked and when construction vehicles will be in the neighborhood. Looking for construction photos? Find them in the Project Images section.
Timeline: Learn about project milestones and the construction schedule in the Timeline section.
Project Overview: Curious about the building and what to expect in the new structure? Find quick facts in the Project Overview section.
Project Images: See the renovation take shape in periodic construction photos or view the webcam on the right. You can also view renderings of the completed structure.

Construction Webcam

View of Building 26 renovation. Our apologies if the image is missing ... we'll fix the camera ASAP.

Watch the Health and Life Sciences building renovation (Building 26). Image refreshes every 60 seconds.

Construction Updates and Alerts

Update: Dec. 18, 2019

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Coming Soon: Help celebrate the completion of the newly renovated Building 26 on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. Community members are invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony, complete with tours of the building and light snacks. Visitors are encouraged to park in the South parking lot. Learn more in the Dec. 18 post, “Health and Life Sciences Building to Open Winter Quarter 2020.”

Alert: May 24, 2019

Construction Vehicles Near Building 26: On Friday, May 24, the main path between Buildings 23 and 26 will be sectioned off. A crane will be hoisting materials up to the roof of Building 26. If you are walking on campus, use the path east of Building 23, which runs along the west side of the Student Union (Building 8). And, watch for forklifts. They will be traveling between the South parking lot and Building 26 to deliver materials.

Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Alert: Nov. 27, 2018

Path Closed Next to Building 26: From Nov. 28 through Nov. 30, the main path between Building 23 and Building 26 will be closed for utility work. If you are walking on campus, signs will show other paths to take. The best path will be to the east of Building 23, which runs along the west side of the Student Union (Building 8). If you don’t mind dust and noise, you can also use the walkway along the first floor corridor on the west side of Building 23.

Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Alert: Oct. 1, 2018

Drive With Care, Watch for Trucks: Parking in the North lot? Pay close attention while driving. More heavy equipment and concrete trucks will be coming to campus in October to access Building 26.

Follow these quick tips:

Watch for workers directing traffic.
Drive slowly.
Arrive early to find parking.
Avoid walking by areas with caution tape.

Parking spots in the North lot will be sectioned off to allow for safe movement of trucks and pedestrians.

Here’s how to keep your car — and yourself — safe:

Park away from spots sectioned off with safety cones. Doing so will prevent possible damage to your car by heavy equipment.
Avoid the trucks. The trucks are heavy, making them difficult to maneuver and stop quickly.
Do not remove the safety cones or caution tape, both for your safety and the safety of others.

Concrete trucks will be here during the first three weeks of October. Tractor-trailer dump trucks and delivery trucks are expected throughout the month.

If you can, avoid the North lot:

Try parking in the South or East parking lots.
Consider carpooling or using public transportation.

Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Alert: Sept. 10, 2018

Convoy of Concrete Truck Coming to Campus: Starting Sept. 13, concrete trucks will be using the North parking lot to access Building 26. When you come to campus, be mindful of where you park. Parking spots in the North lot will be sectioned off to allow for safe movement of trucks and pedestrians. Here’s how to keep your car — and yourself — safe:

Park away from spots sectioned off with safety cones. Doing so will prevent possible damage to your car by heavy equipment.
Be cautious as you walk and drive and watch for trucks. The trucks are heavy, making them difficult to maneuver and stop quickly.
Do not remove the safety cones, both for your safety and the safety of others.

Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Alert: July 26, 2018

Path Closed Next to Building 26: Beginning July 27 until Aug. 24, the main path between Building 23 and Building 26 will be closed for utility work. If you are walking on campus, signs will show you other paths to take. The best path will be to the east of Building 23, which runs along the west side of the Student Union (Building 8). If you don’t mind dust and noise, you can also use the walkway along the first floor corridor on the west side of Building 23.

Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Update: July 23, 2018

Robot on the Job: Watch a 30-second video of a robot at work earlier this month, demolishing the concrete floor of Building 26’s two-story auditorium. The auditorium, which seated approximately 150 students, extended from the second floor to the third floor. Eliminating the auditorium creates more space for health and wellness-related labs and classrooms, allowing more students to enroll in high-demand programs. See photos of site work and demolition to date in the Project Images section.

Alert: July 10, 2018

Forklifts on the Move: In the upcoming days, workers will be using forklifts outside of the fenced area at the Building 26 construction site. The contractor will be moving materials by Building 23 and Building 29. If you are on the west side of campus, watch where you walk.

Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Alert: June 22, 2018

Concrete Demolition: Beginning the week of June 25, the contractor will be doing some site demolition. With this work, there may be some noise and extra traffic as dump trucks enter and leave the campus to haul away debris. Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Update: May 9, 2018

Work to Begin Soon: Pease Construction, the contractor for the Building 26 renovation, is on site and ready to begin. Beginning Monday, May 14, the parking spots around Building 26 and west of Building 25 will no longer be available to faculty and staff, as that area will be the contractor’s staging and work area. A construction fence will be installed starting next week around Building 26. While every precaution will be taken to keep all staff and students as safe as possible, be aware and alert while walking close to the construction zone. There may be noise and equipment activity around the building during construction. Questions? Contact Christina Neville-Neil: cnevilleneil@highline.edu or (206) 592-3262.

Update: May 7, 2018

Building Health and Wellness at Highline: In a symbolic gesture of changes to come, dignitaries at the May 7 Demolition Day event don hard hats and hold sledgehammers and shovels outside of Building 26 at Highline College. The building’s interior will be gutted to create a state-of-the-art health and life sciences facility.

Pictured from left: Board of Trustees Chair Debrena Jackson Gandy, Trustee Sili Savusa, Trustee Dan Altmayer, Rep. Kristine Reeves, Interim President Jeff Wagnitz and Trustee Bob Roegner.

Rep. Reeves and Sen. Karen Keiser, who also attended the event, were instrumental in securing $23.37 million in construction funding for the renovation during the 2018 session of the legislature.

Update: April 23, 2018

Demolition Day Coming Soon: You won’t have to dodge falling debris when you join us for Building 26 Demolition Day at Highline College. Help celebrate the start of the major building renovation, Highline’s first significant capital project in more than a decade. Mark your calendar: May 7 at noon. Meet outside of Building 26. Hard hat not required.

Timeline*

Below is the anticipated construction schedule. Students will begin winter quarter 2020 classes in the renovated building.

May 7, 2018: Demolition Day
Feb. 2019: 50% Construction Completion
Dec. 2019: Building Occupancy

*Timeline subject to change.

Project Overview

More Room for More Students in High-Demand Health and Wellness Careers

Currently a 3-story concrete masonry structure, Building 26 will undergo a major renovation, creating an integrated, flexible learning environment needed to meet the growing demand for health care professionals. It is the college’s first significant capital project in more than a decade and the highest priority project in the Highline College Master Plan.

As of now, health and wellness-related programs are scattered across campus in four separate buildings. Unifying them in one central location will allow students of various disciplines to interact in a real-world environment. And it will create more room for more students. Waiting lists are common for programs, such as nursing, due to existing space being insufficient to meet student demand.

The renovation is designed to accomplish the goals set according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards. This will be Highline’s first LEED-certified building and a model of sustainability on campus. The college is committed to specifying high-efficiency systems that use less energy, aid with reducing greenhouse gas emissions and create a more sustainable campus.

Project Quick Facts

Total project cost estimate:
$30,368,000 (design and construction)

Project area:
46,068 square feet (renovation and addition)

Method of construction:
Design, bid, build

Design standards:
LEED Silver standards (first on campus)

Project partners:
Architect: McGranahan Architects
General contractor: Pease Construction

Building history:
A 3-story concrete masonry structure, Building 26 was designed by architect Robert Billsbrough Price and constructed in 1975 as part of Highline’s third phase of campus construction (1974–78), after the campus opened in 1964. (For its first three academic years — 1961–62, 1962–63 and 1963–64 — the college was housed on a temporary basis at Glacier High School.) Building 26 was originally used for the college’s Dental Technician, Nursing, Business Occupations and Automotive Repair programs.