Among the amenities students will find at the new $101 million Lincoln High School is a state-of-the art theater. (photo/Brady Architectural)

San Diego County is awash in billions of dollars in new school construction projects, from private and charter schools to public schools, both new and improved, and universities undergoing major expansions.

Doug Barnhart, the president of Barnhart Inc. and perhaps the busiest school builder in the state, says the boom is thanks to the public’s ongoing support for the physical improvements California’s educational system needs to stay competitive in a world economy. This fall alone, Barnhart’s firm will finish seven school projects in San Diego County worth a combined $286.5 million. They range from the $101 million Lincoln High School that is San Diego’s most significant urban education investment in decades to a $26 million parking structure at UCSD.

“The voters in California over the last few years have made a conscious effort to address the deficient infrastructure in its public schools,” Barnhart says. “They have passed bonds both at the state level and the local level, and have provided the money necessary to correct that deficiency.”

Bob Nicholson, an executive with the San Diego County Office of Education, has been involved with school construction for 14 years. San Diegans, he says, have always been generous with local school measures. What is different today, says the senior director of facility planning services, is the billions of dollars of matching funds being put up by the state.

Locally, Nicholson says county public schools have about $1.2 billion invested in ongoing construction projects, with that amount roughly matched by state funds. Over the next three to five years, he expects another $3 billion in local money to go toward education projects, again being roughly matched by state spending.

The outlay is spread throughout the county. Nicholson notes the Sweetwater Union High School District has $600 million to improve South County schools. Another $200 million program is taking place in the Escondido region and $160 million in East County. The sizes of the projects are all over the board, from $1 million to $200 million, and range from new schools to replacing those that, in some cases, are 75 to 80 years old.

Newly welcoming students this month is Santaluz Montessori.

For those who question such aggressive construction during a period of declining enrollment, Nicholson notes the longer-term cycle. “We look at our demographics today and see declining enrollment, but that should turn around in the next three to five years,” he says. “How substantial that change will be is anyone’s guess. I don’t think it will be a student population boom, but rather a gradual enrollment increase.” In many cases, aging schools simply need to be replaced.

Private schools also are riding the construction wave. Examples include Nativity Prep Academy, a college-prep middle school in San Diego’s Stockton neighborhood where Pacific Cornerstone Architects is designing, pro bono, an 8,000-square-foot expansion that will allow enrollment to increase 50 percent to 90 students. In late August, Santaluz Montessori school cut the ribbon on its new eight-classroom campus just north of State Route 56 that will serve students from 18 months to 6 years of age.

University Expansions

The region’s colleges and universities also are overseeing major construction programs, with no end in sight.

San Diego-based National University is wrapping up a slew of expansions throughout California in places like Camarillo, Ontario and Los Angeles. National is particularly eager to expand its nursing programs. “There is a huge demand and a huge need, which has been identified not only in the state of California but nationally for nursing professionals,” says Richard Carter, National’s executive vice president of business and administration. “We are building to meet that need.”

This month National will complete a $25 million technology center at its Spectrum Business Park campus. The project was built by Roel Construction. Carter says quality classrooms with modern technology are necessary to attract good students. “Our average student is a working adult and they are very serious about their education,” he says. “They are paying money for their education and expect to get good return. We think that our facilities reflect that.”

Point Loma Nazarene University is adding Smee Hall, future home of its School of Theology and Christian Ministry.

With its 3,000-student enrollment, Point Loma Nazarene University is a small university. But building continues there too. Under construction is Smee Hall, the future home of the School of Theology and Christian Ministry. The 8,300-square-foot, $4.2 million structure is being built by Erickson-Hall Construction Co. with Irving Hughes serving as project manager.

As the SAT scores of its incoming students inexorably rise, UCSD continues to build classroom and recreation space to nurture the students’ ambitions and parking needs. This month Barnhart Inc. will complete construction on the $31 million, 1,406-space Hopkins Parking Structure while Ace Electric finishes $850,000 in lighting for Warren Field. Later during this school year Price Center will receive a $77 million facelift in the form of a 172,800-square-foot addition and a 62,500-square-foot renovation, all overseen by Mortenson Construction. The original student center also will get a $7.5 million expansion and improvement, courtesy of Marcotte + Hearne Builders. In March the Shiley clinic’s $7 million, 12,163-square-foot expansion will be completed by Soltek Pacific, while a month later the $12.6 million, 16,569-square-foot Robert Paine Scripps Center will be readied for occupancy by Jaynes Corp.

Construction projects at UCSD that will extend beyond this academic year include an 80,000-square-foot, $48.8 million Supercomputer Center addition by Barnhart; a 143,152-square-foot, $50.3 million Mayer Hall addition and renovation by Swinerton Builders; the 87,000-square-foot, $55 million Music Center named after Conrad Prebys and built by PCL Construction Services; a 343,000-square-foot, $122.2 million phase one expansion of North Campus Housing by Turner Construction and MVE & Partners and the 128,000-square-foot, $171.5 million expansion of the Cardiovascular Center and Thornton Hospital.

At USD, a formal dedication takes place Oct. 20 for the 80,000-square-foot, $36 million School of Leadership and Education Sciences. The structure includes 15 classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium, a 60-seat executive training classroom, underground parking and a terrace café. It was built by Rudolph and Sletten.

Also at USD, work recently was completed on a $26.6 million residence hall, San Buenaventura. The 90,000-square-foot structure has 265 beds and includes a café and fitness center. Legacy Building Services was the general contractor.

In the spring, USD will break ground on a 55,000-square-foot, $28 million Student Life Pavilion next to the existing Hahn University Center, which will be renovated as part of the project. The four-story building will include office space for student activities, a convenience store and deli and a dining area. Rudolph and Sletten will be the contractor.

In the not-so-distant future is SDSU’s plans to build faculty and staff affordable housing on 32 acres of its property. While the master plan remains to be finalized, in addition to 172 off-site homes, it would include new on-campus housing for 3,000 students. By 2025, the university expects to own or manage housing for nearly 10,000 students.

The State University Board of Trustees will consider on Sept. 18 and 19 the SDSU Adobe Falls faculty and staff affordable housing project proposed for 32 acres of undeveloped university land off Adobe Falls Road south of Del Cerro.

Barnhart, the über school contractor, sees the state’s investment in schools continuing for years. “I used to think it would kind of end in 2015,” he says. “I don’t think so anymore. I think California is smarter than the other states and under Gov. Schwarzenegger is doing a lot to position itself for the Asian market and the new global markets. The governor is right when he says we have a state infrastructure for 25 million people and we are headed toward 40 million. My theory is ‘he who has the the best educated and smartest workforce eventually is going to prevail.’ There is nothing that replaces the person on the ground at a business and how smart and how well trained they are.” For that, you need schools.