Oakton College
PRE-1: Executive Letter

Occupying 193 total acres on its two physical campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie, the College’s properties include 25 acres of lake and drainage, 30 acres of athletic fields, 29 acres of parking lots, and a two-acre prairie restoration area.

Des Plaines Campus

The scenic Des Plaines campus at 1600 East Golf Road sits in a forest preserve and includes a 435,840 square-foot main building, along with an 8,400 square-foot Municipal Education Center, and a 7,300 square-foot grounds maintenance building. The College houses 61 classrooms, 64 labs, 285 offices, and a 9,500 square-foot gymnasium.  Special facilities include a Performing Arts Center, with a 285-seat theater; the Koehnline Museum of Art; the Business Institute; and a Fitness Center.

In 2015, we opened the Margaret Burke Lee Science and Health Careers Center. The 93,000 square-foot building houses labs and classrooms for anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, earth science, medical laboratory technology, nursing, physics, and physical therapy assistant programs and features a simulation hospital on the 2nd floor. The unique design leaves a smaller physical footprint while allowing stormwater to flow beneath during flood periods. Its many sustainable features from recycled and re[-purposed materials to water and energy reducing technologies earned the building a Gold LEED rating through the USGBC.

Skokie Campus

The Ray Hartstein Campus in Skokie, situated on 21 acres at 7701 North Lincoln Avenue, is home to 34 classrooms, 34 labs, and 86 offices. The recently constructed Art, Science, and Technology Pavilion houses Oakton’s programs in architecture and construction management, art and graphic design, computer networking and systems, computer technology and information systems, electronics, engineering, and manufacturing.

A $75,000 Illinois Clean Energy Fuel Foundation grant enabled the firm to incorporate numerous energy efficient features into the Pavilion design, including building materials that reduce heat transfer; occupancy sensors for lighting and temperature control; low flow technologies to reduce water consumption; and bamboo flooring and other sustainable materials.