Quick Take
Pajaro Valley Unified School District is set to review plans on Wednesday to build teacher housing and a new performing arts center after voters approved a $315 million bond measure in November. The district will discuss two feasibility studies for an apartment complex that could be built at one of seven school sites, with costs ranging from $52 million to $87 million, alongside plans for a new performing arts center that could cost $24 million.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District is moving forward with plans to build new workforce housing and a new performing arts center after voters approved the largest-ever bond measure for the district — $315 million — in the November election.
During its Wednesday meeting, the district’s board of trustees are set to review and discuss feasibility studies – which assess the viability and success of a proposal – focused on the performing arts center and the possible size, cost and location of a workforce housing project.
The district contracted with San Luis Obispo- and Santa Barbara-based 19six Architects to conduct the studies. The firm has worked with several school districts on workforce housing and is currently working with Santa Cruz City Schools on its plans to build a 100-unit teacher housing project off of Swift Street on the Westside. Officials previously told Lookout they hope that housing will open to residents in fall of 2027.
As part of the PVUSD study for housing, 19six examined several different district-owned properties as potential sites for an apartment complex. The firm also examined varying sizes of projects and how long different phases of the project could take to complete.
The study explores the feasibility of building the workforce housing project at several schools: Amesti Elementary, Aptos High, Diamond Technology Institute, H.A. Hyde Elementary, Renaissance High, Rolling Hills Middle and Freedom Elementary schools.
The smallest and least-expensive version of the project, built at Diamond Tech high school, would have a total of 63 units made up of six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 27 two-bedroom apartments and three three-bedroom apartments. This project would cost about $52 million.
If it were instead built at Aptos High, the site could accommodate a total of 102 units – the largest and most expensive of the proposals. Of those, there would be no studios, 30 one-bedroom apartments, 60 two-bedroom apartments and 12 three-bedroom apartments. At Aptos High’s property, this project would cost about $87 million.
If the district pursues building workforce housing, the project wouldn’t complete construction for several years. The feasibility study describes general timelines, which includes up to six months of studies and technical reports, three months for contractor solicitation and one to two years of construction.
In a second feasibility study by 19six Architects, the firm examined how the district could build a performing arts center and an aquatics center at Pajaro Valley High School.
The study compares the district’s prior performing arts center design created in 2018 to a new version that is cheaper and nearly 2,500 square feet smaller. The original project design was estimated to cost $15.9 million in 2018, but that had ballooned to $26 million by 2024. The new design would cost $24 million. Construction for the project could start in early 2028.
For the aquatics center, 19six proposes two options: a pool with a covered roof for $19 million or an open pool without a roof for $13 million. The firm estimates that construction for the pool could start in 2029.
Following the discussion of the feasibility studies, the board is scheduled to vote on several action items including how it will replace trustee Kim De Serpa after she won her election against Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown for District 2 Santa Cruz County supervisor.
The board has the option to hold a special election that could cost between $70,000 and $80,000, or it could replace her by an appointment process.
The board meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the PVUSD boardroom, located at 294 Green Valley Rd. in Watsonville, and it will also be livestreamed.
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