Santa Barbara City College will begin construction on a $105 million physical education complex that will replace the aging existing building, with the Board of Trustees approving the plan to fund the project using $34 million in state funds — funding which would have otherwise expired this summer — and $71 million from the voter-approved Measure P Bond extension.
Board President Jonathan Abboud, who was an ardent supporter of the $198 million Measure P Bond extension, said he was “grateful for the community” for voting to approve the measure by 66 percent during the November election. The replacement physical education building was a central priority for those who supported the ballot measure.
There was a bit of a rush to get the project approved, as about one-third of the funding for the total cost will be paid with matching state funds, which would have expired in June 2025 if left unused. “This is money we do not want to lose,” Abboud said. The remaining $71 million will come from the Measure P funding.
The current athletic facility, built in 1963, doesn’t meet current Title IX standards, and the college will demolish the entire building and replace it with a state-of-the-art four-story, 77,000-square-foot sports complex with a NCAA regulation gym, classrooms, dance and exercise rooms, a fitness center, and staff office space. The new building will also be a designated emergency disaster relief center.
The total $105 million price tag includes contracts for demolition, removal of hazardous materials, construction, and inspection. Construction could begin as early as next fall, with work continuing at least until spring 2028.
Trustee Marsha Croninger was the only member of the board to vote against the project during the April 17 meeting. She expressed concerns about the growing costs of the project, and uncertainty over whether tariffs at the federal level would drive the cost up even more in the future. Croninger requested the board receive regular updates on the costs of the project to ensure that change orders didn’t pile onto the already large construction cost.
Board Vice President Kyle Richards said that, when it came to the community’s needs and economic vitality, the new building just “makes sense.”
“In addition to supporting our physical education and athletics departments, I see this building as a convention center for Santa Barbara County that can attract large-scale events that can contribute to the local economy,” Richards said. “The building will be able to support our community in times of natural disasters and emergencies and could potentially serve as a host venue for large community events.”
This project is the first to utilize the Measure P funding, using about 36 percent of the available funds. The remaining $127 million from the bond extension is intended to go towards specific improvements, such as modernized science facilities, building maintenance, or updated equipment for labs and classrooms.
