Demolition Bash at West L.A.

West Los Angeles College president Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh man’s equipment that will be used to demolish 43-year-old “temporary” buildings that are finally being removed thanks to a construction bond funded campus transformation that has brought new classroom and administrative buildings.

West Los Angeles College employee joins others in writing their farewells on the wall of one of the 43-yearold “temporary” buildings that are finally being removed thanks to a construction bond funded campus transformation that has brought new classroom and administrative buildings.

Demolition Bash at West L.A.

“When the walls come tumblin’ down” by John Mellencamp blared in the background as West Los Angeles College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh swung a sledge hammer to put the first hole in one of the 43-year-old “temporary” buildings that will be demolished in the coming weeks.

On December 11, West held a “Demolition Bash” to bid farewell to dilapidated bungalows, which until recently, housed various student services and classes. Student Services, science and other classrooms are now housed in new, multi-story, LEED-certified buildings with digital signage, WiFi, multimedia capabilities and modern labs. The space occupied by the bungalows will be converted to additional parking for the campus.

The Bash was attended by West faculty, staff and guests from the community including Lorraine Gollub Heldman, the widow of the college’s first president. Their son Michael Heldman and his family attended as well. M. Heldman recalled his father cynically joking that the “temporary” buildings would probably outlast him. In fact they did, he said, by 10 years. 

Other guests included John Kernick representing State Assemblyperson Holly Mitchell; Robert Garber, West alumnus and former president of sister campus Pierce College; and Molly Barnes, prominent art curator. Representing Culver City were Charles Herberston, City Engineer; Jim Clarke, Councilperson; and Steven Rose, Chamber of Commerce President/CEO.

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