Long Beach City College’s new G building at LAC opened its doors for a limited number of classes in the performing arts and broadcasting media department on Feb. 9, the first day of LBCC’s spring semester.
The new two-story building replaces the H building bungalows, which were demolished over the winter semester, and classes in the J building. As well as the former G building, which used to contain the TV/radio broadcasting facilities before their temporary relocation to the TTC campus because of the demolition.
Performing arts students are able to enjoy a variety of new facilities for performances, including the G building courtyard.
Benches face a raised platform that can serve as a stage for outdoor performances, something entirely new to the campus, and it is immediately present upon walking to the building.
The new G buildings outdoor stage, which can be used for performances and gatherings. (Dom Maddan)
“There’s some seating and landscaping for a stage with speakers and a sound setup, like an amphitheater, that can accommodate large groups. We tested it out on College Day with some live music,” said associate vice-president of facilities Jeff Connell, who oversees the construction projects on campus.
The building also features three new indoor venues for performing arts students, all on the first floor.
One of the G building’s new facilities is a small theater which hosts a maximum of 236 people. (Dom Maddan)
A small 236-seat auditorium and a black-box theater with no fixed seating for more open performances, are two new additions that will be used for one-act play performances later in the semester, and are planned to be used for the department’s annual Shakespeare plays during the summer sessions.
Performing arts students in a stage fighting class perform a faux-fight on March 3 in the G building’s new black box theater. The venue has no set seating which allows more dynamic seating. (Dom Maddan)
“I’m expecting a smaller scale but a similar kind of value with a much more intimate setting. I’m excited for what’s coming,” said Alex Cardenas, a theater major student.
A “theater-in-the-round” with seating around a circular central stage, was also built and is planned to be used for an improvisational comedy performance in June that will be put on by TART-6, a theater improvisation class. The space will also be used for general practice.
“Having the intimate space will really allow us to have audience participation. We’ll probably have an audience member jump up on stage with us very easily; they’re right there. It’s more fun to see people be goofy 20 feet away,” TART-6 professor Eric Lauritzen said.
The first floor also features two large podcast studios with soundproof walls alongside a radio broadcast studio, for broadcasting students to use.
One of the new podcasting facilities for the radio broadcasting program at LBCC in the new G building. The new building incorporates facilities for both performing arts and broadcasting students. (Dom Maddan)
For music students there are new permanent practice rooms which are equipped with instruments and soundproof walls for singing and playing. These rooms replaced the temporary ones that were in the now demolished bungalows considered the H building.
The G building contains some areas that are still under construction, specifically the first floor’s theater classrooms and dance studios, which are set to be completed on March 26 when the building officially opens.
“I’m looking forward to it being fully opened up, there are some unfinished classrooms, and it feels a bit underwhelming at times. I’m really looking forward to not all my classes being in the same classroom,” said Quinn Hicks, a theater major student.
The G building is one of two new buildings open during the spring semester alongside TTC’s new multidisciplinary MM building, which will have facilities for many of LBCC’s programs, such as horticulture, carpentry, architecture and anthropology, among others.
Aside from the two new buildings, LBCC will see a new E building replace the original after its destruction during the fall 2025 semester, and new student housing.
Student housing is currently in its preconstruction stage, as the design for the new building is in the works and a contractor to build it has been identified.
“By the middle of March, those plans for the student housing will be done and sent off to the state for review. We are on track to have new student housing open starting in the fall semester of 2028,” said Connell.
On March 26, there will be a ribbon-cutting and renaming ceremony for the G building, marking it’s full opening, and its renaming after banda singer Jenni Rivera.
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