Walls Lifted into Place at Cellon Institute on Northwest Campus

October 31, 2024

Work is progressing on the Ralph W. Cellon Jr. Institute for Skilled Trades and Advanced Manufacturing on Santa Fe College's Northwest Campus. 

This week crews from Parrish-McCall Constructors began lifting the walls into place. The concrete "tilt" walls are cast horizontally in forms on the ground and then positioned. Each wall weighs between 300 and 450 tons.

A "topping off" ceremony where the final beam is secured is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 4. Interior and other construction will continue over the next six months or so. The building is expected to welcome students for the Fall 2025 term.

The Cellon Institute will allow for expansion of key trades programs in Welding and HVAC, as well as the addition of an Engineering Technology Advanced Manufacturing degree program, which also has a specialization in semiconductors. The facility is essential for the College to meet both current and future workforce needs.

The facility is being named in honor of Cellon, a longtime supporter of the college. Cellon has been a central figure throughout the college's history. He helped lead the effort to secure the land where the college's Northwest Campus is located, served as an inaugural trustee on the college's District Board of Trustees, and served 54 years on the Santa Fe College Foundation Board, recently retiring from the board.