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After years in development, the first phase of Gavilan College’s new campus in Hollister will finish construction in November. This phase consists of a 35,000-square-foot building designed to support classes, administrative services, a cafe, computer labs and other amenities.
According to Serafin Fernandez, Gavilan’s director of capital projects, the work is 80% complete. Classes at the campus are expected to start in January. The school is still determining what curriculum it will offer at the campus, which is located at 505 Fairview Road at the corner of Hwy 25.
“Part of what they’re doing is conducting surveys that are also including the community to see what kind of classes they would like to have taught here,” Fernandez said.
The building has two academic wings. The northern wing has four general education classrooms and the southern wing has four science labs, with prep labs in between. The center of the building will serve as the hub for student services, and also features a community room. Fernandez said the building can accommodate 1,500 students.
Plans for the campus have changed since the project began, according to Fernandez. After the first phase is completed, Gavilan will assess the community’s needs before starting the next phase.
“The demand for what kind of classes, what kind of services are provided has changed since 2018,” Fernandez said. So, in about a year and a half, we will begin that process again.”
Measure X is a 2018 bond measure funding a variety of Gavilan projects, including the new building. Fernandez said Gavilan will also be working to secure funding for the next phase of the Hollister campus.
“We may not know exactly what the next building may be, but we know there’s going to be a demand,” Fernandez said.
Gavilan’s current Hollister site, in the Briggs Building downtown, will close in December, and the services currently hosted there will move to the new campus. Gavilan plans to end its month-to-month lease with the city and vacate the building.
“Hopefully everything will go well to the point that we won’t need the space,” Fernandez said. “If we do, it’ll be for storage but not for any services.”
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