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| Landowner inks deal on local MJC campus |
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| Written by PI Web | |
| Wednesday, 25 June 2008 | |
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After years of negotiations and talk about a local campus, Modesto Junior College is on its way to setting up a satellite campus just south of Patterson. College district officials announced Tuesday that the Maring and Deldon families had reached a deal with the district, offering 10 acres west of Ward Avenue off Elfers Road for a future outreach center. The future site could house seven to 10 classrooms, totaling 8,000 to 12,000 square feet when it opens within the next two years, said Nick Stavrianoudakis, director of external affairs for the Yosemite Community College District. The college district oversees Modesto Junior College and Columbia College in Sonora. “This is a start for us, and it’s a very good start,” YCCD Chancellor Roe Darnell said. The district plans to pay for a MJC West Side outreach site with more than $5 million from Measure E, a $326.1 million general-obligation bond passed by voters in November 2004. The college district has actively sought a 20- to 40-acre site for a West Side campus after a deal with developer Michael Miroyan fell through in October. The district had received several offers from landowners since that time. Landowner Jon Maring could not be reached for comment Tuesday. However, Stavrianoudakis said the benefits of the Maring property were that it was close enough to Patterson to easily connect to city services and also would allow for expansion. The site also will fit within the district’s budget, Darnell said. District trustee Anne DeMartini said it was wonderful to be making progress on the site. “It’s exciting because we’re dealing with somebody who actually owns the land,” she said. The new site would use prefabricated modular buildings similar to those used by the Ceres Unified School District. That speeds up the approval process for the buildings and save money, Stavrianoudakis said. The outreach center could be eligible for state funding once it enrolls 500 full-time equivalent students, though Darnell said it could be five years or longer before that happens. Modesto Junior College enrolled 557 full-time and part-time students from Patterson in fall 2007 and 98 students from Newman at the same time. MJC night classes offered on the Patterson High School campus enrolled 162 students in spring 2008, and 169 are enrolled for fall 2008. The satellite center eventually could be eligible for state bond money for facilities if it grows as large as 20 acres. Darnell said that may take 15 years or longer. There is still much work to do, including getting approval for the campus to use Patterson’s sewer and water services. Environmental work also must be done. The agreement states classes must begin within two years, and the district aims to open the center in spring 2010. Stavrianoudakis said city and county leaders have offered lots of support for the project, and the largest percentage of voter support for Measure E came from the West Side. “(The interest) hasn’t gone away, even with the continuous ups and downs with property issues,” Stavrianoudakis said.
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