Retired Air Force Base Finds New Life with Community College
SAN MATEO, Calif. — The Foothill-De Anza Community College District took a big step in its effort to build a new education center in Sunnyvale, Calif. when it selected C.W. Driver as the general contractor for the construction project.
The construction company from Pasadena, Calif. joins Sacramento Calif.-based architectural firm Lionakis on the project, which will create a new home for Foothill College. Foothill president Judy Miner explained she hoped the college could retain its current space in Palo Alto, Calf. to serve the most students possible. Approximately 4,000 students attend the community college each year.
“We are excited to be working with Foothill-De Anza on this project,” said Mike Castillo, senior vice president for C.W. Driver in the Northern California region. “Our strong background in community college work and our proven track record with higher educational facilities gives us the expertise to deliver this project successfully. We are proud to be an integral part of creating this new center.”
The $25 million structure will be funded by general obligation bonds approved by district voters in 2006. The district plans to acquire 9.2 acres of land formerly owned by the Onizuka Air Force Station. The land will be provided to the district at no cost, through the Military Base Reuse and Preservation Act. The act, passed in spring 2012, helps communities make a transition when military bases close in their area, which can be a large economic hurdle.
The city of Sunnyvale was named the redevelopment authority directing reuse of the former Air Force property and will be working with the Veterans Administration to develop the rest of the 23-acre site. In its requests for available land, the community college district requested 50,000 square feet of building space, with the opportunity for possible future expansion to 100,000 square feet.
The property is located in the Moffett Business Park, which includes corporate headquarters and research/development operations for several major companies including Juniper Networks, Yahoo and Network Appliance. The Veterans Administration will also use three buildings on 4.1 acres of the property for their own research and development efforts.
Sunnyvale vice mayor Jim Griffith explained he envisioned the new structure becoming the supplier of interns for high-tech companies in the area and a resource for armed forces personnel to get ongoing education.
“This is an exciting time,” Pearl Cheng, president of the Foothill-De Anza district board, said when the board selected the site. “This direction comes after an exhaustive search and review of opportunities that would best meet the district’s objectives in finding a permanent home for the education center.”
The timeline for the education center project indicates construction will be complete in approximately three years and the structure will be aiming for LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The multi-story structure will house classrooms, conference rooms, administrative offices and food services.
C.W. Driver has worked extensively in the community college market, partnering with a large variety of districts, including San Diego and Los Angeles community college districts, among others.