Gavilan Joint Community College District is in the final stages
of searching for land to build a new satellite campus in San Benito
County, and could have a projected site within a month, according
to the president of Gavilan’s Board of Trustees.
Hollister – Gavilan Joint Community College District is in the final stages of searching for land to build a new satellite campus in San Benito County, and could have a projected site within a month, according to the president of Gavilan’s Board of Trustees.
While several sites are currently being considered – including some near the heart of the city of Hollister – the future campus will most likely be situated near the local airport on farmland off San Felipe Road, according to Board President Tom Breen.
“We’d love to be able to be in town,” Breen said. “But of the sites they’ve looked at, one near the airport makes the most sense when you look at the cost. We need 80 to 100 acres of bare land, and it’s more affordable out toward north county.”
Once Gavilan has selected a site, however, it’s slow going before any new progress can be made. Once the land is purchased – the bargaining process could take several months – Gavilan must play a waiting game.
Passage of a $108 million bond, Measure E on last March’s ballot, earmarked $12.7 million to acquire land in Hollister for a new site. But the district will have to wait for state funding to become available for the actual construction of the campus, and studies must first be performed to determine how best to build the campus with minimal impact on neighboring property. The process could take three or four years before Gavilan is actually able to begin breaking ground.
“We have to get in line with the state for funds,” Breen said. “But if Hollister is growing and there’s a greater need, I think this will get started in a reasonable amount of time.”
Airport Manager Bill Gere was familiar with Gavilan’s plans to purchase land nearby, but didn’t believe it would interfere with the airport’s operation.
“The question is how to make it work within the community,” he said. “No one place is going to be perfect, but we should find a place as soon as we can and encourage them to come down.”
The new campus will initially serve as an extension of the classes offered at the Briggs Building in downtown Hollister. But over the next 20 or 30 years, board trustees hope the new site will grow into a fully-functioning campus, with athletic facilities, a library and a performing arts center.
“The biggest benefit initially is to offer a wider range of programming to Hollister residents who don’t want to commute,” said Kent Child, who sits on Gavilan’s Board of Trustees. “But the next step is to engage the county and have a discussion about what kind of partnerships might be formed.”
Meanwhile, Gavilan is also looking to start a similar project in Coyote Valley. The Hollister site selection has moved along more quickly, however, due to differences in the price of land; Gavilan has allotted nearly $40 million to purchase what looks to be only 55 acres in Coyote Valley. Ideally, Gavilan is looking to purchase the sites with enough money left over to begin basic construction.
“Nobody has a crystal ball to say how fast or slow the whole process will be,” Child said. “But 30 years from now, Gavilan will probably be a three-campus district. It’s a very exciting time.”
While the land surrounding the airport effectively provides Gavilan with an affordable site for their campus, it’s also a nod to the college’s history. After San Benito Junior College was disbanded in the 1960s, southern Santa Clara and San Benito counties decided to work together to form a community college. Classes were taught out of vacant buildings at Hollister’s airport, and the school was named Gavilan after the mountain range.
“Forty years later, San Benito County has grown a lot,” Child said. “And to see it coming full circle and look towards building a campus near the airport again is wonderful.”
