• Rio Grande Building

  • Southside Education and Training Center (SETC)

Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)

The landscape of Palo Alto College has changed considerably over the years with upgrades and construction of new facilities. With the support of the community, these state-of-the-art spaces enhance the learning experience and support the future success of our students. Navigate within the projects menu below to learn more!

Current Projects

Bond Projects:

Natatorium, Wellness, and Multigenerational Center

In May 2017, Bexar County voters approved a $450 million capital improvement bond for the Alamo Colleges District, with $19.8 million allocated for Gym & Natatorium renovations. Since its closure in 2019, new findings revealed that demolishing the existing natatorium and constructing a new facility would be the most cost-effective. The City of San Antonio and Alamo Colleges District-Palo Alto College came together to reshape the original 2017 project. Funds were appropriated to the 2022 bond project to move the project forward, with $5.3 million coming from a 2017 municipal bond, $10 million from the 2022 municipal bond, and the remaining funds coming from the Alamo Colleges 2017 bond and 2020 maintenance tax notes for a total project cost of $51.7 million.

The Natatorium, Wellness & Multigenerational Center will feature both a new and renovated facility to support constituent services, a meeting space, and other community and recreational services that will be open and accessible to the general public. With a larger footprint and variety of spaces, the new center will provide an array of educational and wellness programming. The facility will have the following amenities: fitness spaces, multipurpose rooms, indoor aquatics including a 50-meter Olympic pool, educational classrooms, and an indoor basketball/volleyball court.

Architect: RVK Architects

Contractor: Joeris General Contractors

Building Square Footage: 90,334 (approx.)

Estimate to Complete: $52M

Building Upgrades:

New: Olympic-size pool (50 meter ) and support spaces

Upgrade: fitness spaces, multipurpose rooms, educational classrooms, indoor basketball/volleyball court, locker rooms, community office space

Construction Start Date:  Apr. 24, 2025 

Estimated Completion: Spring 2027

In partnership with City of San Antonio

 

Natatorium, Wellness and Multigenerational Center Renderings

Please note, project details are subject to change as new information is received.

Non-Bond Funded Projects

Veteran’s Center

Located adjacent to the renovated Natatorium, Wellness, and Multigenerational Center, the Palo Alto College Veteran’s Center will be a home away from home for our military veteran students.  ​

The center will house all veteran specific support services, quiet study spaces, recreational areas, and communal areas to hold events. The space will be also be utilized to host community trainings and events.​

Architect: RVK

Contractor: Joeris General Contractors

Estimate to complete: $7.6 mil

Building Square Footage: 8,088 

Construction Start Date: Apr. 24, 2025

Estimated Completion: Spring 2027

Veteran's Center Renderings
Student Center Drainage Improvement Project
The Palo Alto College Student Commons Drainage improvement project will take place under the floor and at the perimeter of the building.  The work for this project includes the installation of a concrete mud slab, underground storm drains, the excavation and installation of a French drain, two sump pumps, concrete swales, general flatwork, electrical, irrigation, grading, and landscaping.

Contractor: Spaw Glass

Civil Engineer: Bain Median Bain

COOP: Region 20  21027 / 21027B / 21027C

PM 23 Project Budget:  $1,498,657.00

Construction Start Date:  Oct. 16, 2024

Estimated Completion: Oct. 31, 2025

Drainage Improvements Phasing Plan

Progress Report

PAC Hydronic Pipe Replacement Project
The Alamo Colleges Palo Alto College Campus Hydronic Piping System involves replacing the existing Chilled Water Supply and Hot Water Supply Distribution systems with piping mains for the college campus buildings. The extension and expansion of the Chilled Water Hydronic distribution main will provide a continuous primary system loop with the campus central plants that connects the existing split east and west campus systems into secondary loops.

Funding Source:
Alamo Colleges Maintenance Tax Note funds will be used for the Requisition for Palo Alto College Hydronic Pipe Replacement Construction Project. The Funding source is: MTN22-G03002, DS021-G03002, PM20-G03002, PM24-G03002

Contractor:
Columbia Contracting, Inc.
P.O. Box 539
Schertz Texas 78154

Civil Engineer:
PVK & Leaf Engineering

Contract Type:
CSP – Competitive Seal Proposal Contract
PM 23 project budget
MTN22-G03002, DS021-G03002, PM20-G03002, PM24-G03002
9,800,000.00

Estimated Construction Start Date:
October 2024

Estimated Completion:
October 2025

 

Completed Projects

Bond Projects:

Rio Grande Building

The Rio Grande will serve as a joint purpose dedicated to promoting collaborative learning and interactive instruction in advance manufacturing and public service. Courses that will be taught include Advance Manufacturing, Criminal Justice,  Dental Hygiene and Student Services. Palo Alto College’s Rio Grande Building will serve 804 manufacturing students over five years, providing 271,232 contact hours in advanced manufacturing education.

Also located in the Rio Grande Building will be the New Student Engagement & Welcome Center which will provide visitors, students, and faculty with a primary entry point to the campus. Various student support services will be housed within this building and will serve as a one-stop location for new students.

Architect: RVK Architects

Contractor: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors

Building Square Footage: 128,000 (approx.)

Estimate to Complete: $59.7M

Classrooms: Advanced Manufacturing Center and Labs; Student Engagement & Welcome Center; Healthcare Center of Excellence; Dental Clinic for community use; health clinic; el museo/event space, Cybersecurity Lab; Science Labs; Simulated Courtroom; STEM Makers Space, instructional spaces/labs

Labs: Geology, Physics, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Technical

Construction Start Date: November 2020

Completion: October 2022

PAC Gio Grande Building Photo Gallery

PAC Rio Grand Progress Report

Drone Footage

Southside Education and Training Center (SETC)

The Southside Education and Training Center (SETC) is planned in collaboration with Southside ISD to utilize existing land on the Southside ISD campus property. The goal of the project is to build the SETC facility to meet accreditation standards that would allow students the opportunity to earn both academic and workforce education degrees and certificated utilizing the collective instructional resources of Palo Alto College.

The SETC is part of the Alamo Colleges District Higher Education Regional Campus network, designed to increase access to higher education services for residents of underserved rural and high-needs sectors of Bexar County.

Architect: Lake Flato Architects

Contractor: Byrne Construction Service

Building Square Footage: 48,915 

Estimate to Complete: $23M

Building Components: Biblotech/Welcome center, training rooms, robotics, multipurpose room, AMT, Allied Health faculty/staff office; Nursing spaces, computer labs, classrooms, skills/simulation labs, faculty office, conference room

Construction Start Date: February 2021

Target Completion: March 23, 2023

SETC Photo Gallery

SETC Progress Report

Physical Plant
PAC’S physical plants improvement project, designed to provide additional capacity for the growing campus, includes an addition to the existing Physical Plant, as well as the addition of a 500 ton water-cooled centrifugal chiller, a 500 ton/3,000 GPM cooling tower and the associated pumps, variable frequency drives, piping and electrical service necessary for their operation.

Architect: Rehler Vaughn & Koone

Contractor: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, LLC

Building Square Footage: Expansion: 2,905sf, Total Building 5,023 sf.

Construction Start Date: December 2020

Completion: Fall 2022

Physical Plant Buildng Rendering

PAC Physical Plant Progress Report

Non-Bond Funded Projects

Vineyard and Hops Yard

Palo Alto College has constructed a vineyard to support its new Viticulture and Enology program. The vineyard will provide students with a unique hands on learning experience and an opportunity to explore the process of wine-making in a controlled environment.

Completed January 2023

PAC Vineyard and Hops Yard Progress Report

 
Outdoor Classroom/Amphitheater

Centrally located in the heart of the Palo Alto College campus, the new amphitheater/outdoor learning classroom will provide an inclusive learning space for academic activities. The reimagined outdoor learning environment will promote the arts with the inclusion of five sculptural pads where students will have the opportunity to have their art on display. Additionally, the space will be utilized to host choir, jazz concerts, and outdoor theater performances.

Architect: RVK

Contractor: Alpha

Estimate to complete: $916k

Target Completion: March 31, 2023

Outdoor Classroom/Amphitheater Renderings

Outdoor Classroom/Amphitheater Progress Report

 

Contact 

Information

Jennifer Mejia
Director of College Services

Location: EO-141

Email:
pac-operations@alamo.edu