The $4.5M purchase, funded through the voter-approved Measure HH bond program, is a significant step in the district’s long-term strategy to meet rising demand for workforce education, career training, and community-serving programs.
While no specific educational programs or name has been finalized for the new campus location at this point, the newly acquired 30,000-square-foot site will allow SDCCE to expand instructional space for high-demand workforce pathways, including building trades, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and programs that support upward mobility for adults, immigrants, and returning learners.
The acquisition also addresses long-standing space limitations at the current Mid-City Campus (3792 Fairmount Ave.), one of the district’s most heavily utilized educational centers. Mid-City has long been a hub for English language instruction and immigrant and refugee education in addition to career training. Next steps will be for the Measure HH team to move into a collaborative programming and design phase, where SDCCE leadership, stakeholder groups, and community partners will help shape the facility’s future purpose and priorities.
“This acquisition reflects our commitment to expanding access and meeting the growing needs of our students and community,” said SDCCD Chancellor Gregory A. Smith. “Workforce education is critical to San Diego’s economic future, and this new site will allow us to build modern, flexible learning environments that prepare students for in-demand careers. By investing now, we are ensuring that SDCCE remains a statewide leader in workforce training, adult education, and lifelong learning.”
The district noted that now is an ideal time to purchase property, given current commercial real estate conditions.
“Market conditions have created a rare opportunity for the district to stretch public dollars further,” said Dr. Joel L.A. Peterson, vice chancellor and executive operations officer, who also oversees the Measure HH program. “By acting strategically during a depressed commercial real estate market, we are maximizing the impact of taxpayer investments and positioning SDCCD to serve more students for decades to come. This is a decision made squarely in the public’s interest."
With Board approval, SDCCD will complete due diligence and planning for future development, including stakeholder programming, feasibility analysis, and integration with Measure HH project timelines. The site will ultimately be transformed into an expanded, modernized SDCCE Mid-City hub; one that supports education, workforce readiness, community connection, and economic mobility.
“This new facility is critical for our adult learner population in City Heights and the surrounding communities,” said SDCCE President Tina M. King, Ed.D. “It will allow us to expand access and offer even more of our in-demand career training programs that prepare community members for good-paying jobs and meaningful careers. The Mid-City Campus has long been a cornerstone for adult education and upward mobility, and this expansion ensures that SDCCE can continue to meet our community’s evolving workforce needs for generations to come.”
Approved by voters in November 2024, Measure HH provides $3.5 billion to modernize SDCCD campuses, improve workforce training facilities, replace aging infrastructure, and expand access to innovative learning environments. The measure builds on the success of prior bond programs that transformed facilities districtwide while maintaining strong fiscal accountability and taxpayer oversight.