With the construction of the new Social and Behavioral Science Building and the near completion of the new Arts Complex, The Union decided to look at El Camino College’s history.

El Camino was founded in 1946, its first building was the former Army Barracks that were transported from the old Santa Ana Army Air Base in Orange County.

“They used the barracks for a while before they had started putting up buildings,” Library Archivist Carla Cain said.

One of the first permanent buildings at El Camino was the library, which was completed in 1952.

In 1961, the library’s size was increased, with a third floor being added.

A major renovation occurred in 1992 and was completed in September 1994, in which the library was renamed the Schauerman Library, after former president Sam Schauerman.

The Schauerman Library was renovated in 2008, adding the LRC/Study Center.

“The library is due another renovation within the next ten years,” Cain said.

In 1955, the Music Building was completed, and its last renovation was completed in 1961.

The next building at El Camino was the Natural Science Building. It was completed in 1956.

It was last renovated in 2004; the estimated cost of renovation was $6.7 million.

It was the first instructional building to have benefited from the 2002 Measure E bond.

The Social Sciences Building was completed in 1960. The renovation of the Social Sciences began in July 2010.

On Aug. 15, 2011, the Social Sciences Building’s renovation was completed. The estimated cost of the renovation was $5.6 million.

In 1962, the Communications Building was completed. No renovations have been made since its construction.

The Marsee Auditorium was completed and first opened in January 1968.

It was named in honor of Stuart E. Marsee, who was president of El Camino for 24 years, from 1958 to 1982.

The original ITEC Building was completed in 1969.

The new ITEC Building was completed and opened on Sept. 17, 2015. Its estimated renovation cost was $38.3 million, the second-highest fee at El Camino.

The facility was paid for with the money that came from the 2002 Measure E bond.

The Humanities Building first opened in the spring of 2008. It replaced the former army barracks “type structure” that were transported from the former Santa Ana Army Air Base.

The estimated cost of the new Humanities Building was $31 million.

At the time of completion, it was one of the first newly-constructed instructional buildings in over 40 years.

“All the old buildings will eventually be torn down,” Cain said when commenting on plans for renovations for the oldest building.

It was the first instructional building that was built from the 2002 Measure E Bond.

The second newly-constructed building to have been paid in large part from the 2002 Measure E Bond was the Math Business Allied Health building.

It first opened on March 6, 2013, costing around $35.1 million.

The second youngest building at El Camino is the Student Services Building.

Construction for the new Student Services Building began in December 2016.

It is the most expensive building up to date at around $40.4 million.

The youngest and newest building at El Camino is the Administration Building.

The construction began in January 2017 and opened on June 1, 2020, during the pandemic, costing an estimated $17 million.

The new building replaces the old Administration Building built in 1950. The current youngest building at El Camino replaces the oldest.