Construction on the long awaited senior care center at Cerritos College will begin in a month or two. “We’re hopeful that construction will start in 30 to 60 days,” said Peter Hardash, vice president of business services.

Construction is on hold while the developer, Chancellor Village L.L.C. awaits a grading permit and approval for construction drawings from the city of Cerritos.

The permit will allow the developer to begin grading, which is the first step to construction. When grading, the developer compacts, levels, spreads out and slopes the soil to allow rain water to drain properly.

One reason for the hold up, according to Hardash, might be because the City of Cerritos wants the developers— who are also working on another senior housing project for the city, Pioneer Villas — to complete their first project before they begin the next.

Once construction begins, the senior center should be completed in 12 months or less. The developers have a great motivation to do so, according to Hardash, since they have a strict 12 month deadline. They will be fined $5,000 for each additional day they continue construction after 12 months from the day they begin.

In the meantime, Cerritos College has received half of the ground lease rent from the developer, a little over $156,000. Once construction is completed, they will receive the full rent of $330,666 plus a participation rent of 2.5 percent of gross revenues.

How does the College feel about the delayed construction? “There is no harm for the students or Cerritos College to begin construction later. As long as the city is ok with the pacing of the project, we’re OK,” Hardash said.