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El Centro College plans to expand in Downtown Dallas
At a time when several companies are moving out of downtown, a local college is looking to expand.
DALLAS - While several companies are moving out of downtown, El Centro College is looking to expand.
Downtown campus growth plans
What we know:
School officials say they are placing a heavy focus on academic and student life with this expansion.
Plans for the new walkable campus include building a new welcome center, modern classrooms, better common areas, a daycare, and an early college high school.
As crews work to design the new campus, they are prioritizing locations near transit hubs to make it easier for students to commute to school or internships.
The expanded campus will connect the West End DART station to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and will be situated in the Austin Street corridor.
What they're saying:
"This is a defining moment for Dallas College," said Justin H. Lonon, chancellor of Dallas College. "Through this investment, Dallas College will expand opportunity, strengthen workforce alignment and reimagine how education connects to the economic future of Dallas and North Texas. We are reimagining what a college can be by creating a next-generation downtown campus that serves as a convener of education, industry and opportunity. This vision reflects our commitment to expanding access, accelerating economic mobility and strengthening the regional workforce. We are building a model for the college of the future, deeply connected to the economy, embedded in the life of the city and designed to drive talent and innovation at scale. We appreciate the Board’s stewardship as we have navigated this important journey."
What we don't know:
The exact timeline for the start of construction and the targeted completion date for the new facilities have not yet been announced.
Expansion by the numbers
By the numbers
El Centro College currently serves about 30,000 students in a few buildings on Main Street.
The upcoming development will dramatically increase the size of the campus from its current footprint of about 130,000 square feet to 800,000 square feet.
The development will utilize funds from a $1.1 billion bond program approved by Dallas County voters in 2019. The campus expansion project will use about $500 million of that money.
The Source: The information in this story comes from a news release from Dallas College, which consists of seven campuses including El Centro College.