Capital Improvement News, Events, Publications
SDCCD seeks design-build teams for
8 bond-funded projects
Times of San Diego, June 7, 2025 - The projects, totaling more than $1 billion in design and construction activity, include major upgrades to San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges and College of Continuing Education. Highlights include new performing arts centers, athletic complexes, aviation and early education facilities and campuswide infrastructure improvements.
Unlike traditional methods that separate planning, design and construction into two or more contracts, progressive design-build consolidates the complete services under one team. Officials said the district is using this model to promote collaboration and efficiency.
Read more about the eight building projects
Groundbreaking for theater renovations at Educational Cultural Complex
KUSI News, May 8, 2025 - The community gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the theater renovation at the Educational Cultural Complex. This is the first project supported by the Measure HH bond that passed in November 2024.
The ECC theatre will undergo an historic preservation and major renovation project encompassing approximately 27,000 square feet, including 3,200 square feet of new construction. Enhancements to the 275-seat theatre will include modern acoustic panels, sound and lighting controls, updated and accessible entries, foyer areas, and seating. New spaces that welcome public use from the surrounding community will be incorporated, such as updated exterior patio areas and a pantry marketplace.
Watch KUSI's coverage of the groundbreaking
SDCCD renovating historic theater
San Diego Daily Transcript, 2/28/2025 - Bid requests have been issued for the proposed $35 million to $40 million redevelopment of the San Diego Community College District’s historic theater at the Educational Cultural Complex.
As noted by Brenna Leon Sandeford, the district’s public information officer, the theatre was originally dedicated in May 1976 and has been part of Black culture for decades.
Theater headliners have included Stevie Wonder; the “First Lady of Gospel” Shirley Caesar; civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson; Coretta Scott King, who in 1985 addressed California’s Martin Luther King Jr. Commission during a successful effort to mark her late-husband’s birthday a state and federal holiday; heavyweight champion boxer Muhammad Ali; and poet Maya Angelou.
Read more about the theater renovation
District sells $850 million in bonds for construction
ABC San Diego 1/13/2025 - The San Diego Community College District has sold $850 million of bonds following the passing of Measure HH last November, it was announced today.
That $3.5 billion bond measure is intended to upgrade the district's campuses throughout San Diego and was passed by more than 60% of voters.
The general obligation bonds will be sold over a decade or two to provide funding for the district's modernization efforts such as affordable student housing at San Diego City College, an English and Student Resource Center at Mesa College, a renovated aviation facility operated by Miramar College at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, and the expansion and renovation of San Diego College of Continuing Education's Educational Cultural Complex.
Read more about the $850 million in bonds sold
More than $45B is coming to California schools and community colleges — including SDCCD
Times of San Diego, 1/16/2025 - This past November, hundreds of California school districts pursued local bond dollars to fix or update campuses across their communities.
Voters passed 205 of 267 proposed local construction bonds on the Nov. 5 ballot, including 14 of 15 for community colleges. Along with the largest number of bonds, the 77% passage rate was just shy of the historic approval rate of 79% since 2000, said Michael Coleman, founder of CaliforniaCityFinance.com, who compiled the voting results.
That was the year voters lowered the threshold for passing school bonds from a two-thirds majority to 55%.
Read more about the bond and election results
District’s bond rating raised to highest possible level of AAA
S&P Global Ratings, 12/19/2024 - S&P Global Ratings assigned its 'AAA' long-term rating to San Diego Community College District (CCD), Calif.'s $850 million series 2024A general obligation (GO) bonds. At the same time, we affirmed our 'AAA' long-term rating and underlying rating on the district's existing GO bonds.
The outlook is stable.
"The rating reflects our view of San Diego CCD's extremely strong enterprise risk profile and strong financial risk profile," said S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Robert Tu.
The stable outlook reflects our expectation that during the two-year outlook period, the district will maintain a steady financial profile, with improving full-accrual financial performance and sufficient financial resources, supported by favorable enrollment trends to offset the district moving out of hold harmless funding levels with the full implementation of the community college funding formula in fiscal 2026.
Read more about SDCCD's bond rating
Groundbreaking held for the first affordable student housing development in downtown
KPBS, 10/20/2023 - After decades of discussion and disagreement, affordable student housing in downtown San Diego has moved one step closer to reality.
A groundbreaking event on the campus of San Diego City College marked the beginning of what will become an eight-story apartment complex for students. Rent could be as low as $1,000 per month for a studio.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the planned apartments are important for low-income students from marginalized communities.