Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

California High School Breaks Ground on New Student Union Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/05/23

Hollister High School, part of the San Benito High School District (SBHSD) in Hollister, Calif., recently broke ground on a new student union building, according to a news release. The new facility will provide the school’s 3,500 students with multipurpose gathering spaces, food service area, and state-of-the-art kitchen. The building measures in at 8,500 square feet and was designed by Aedis Architects.

"Our new Student Union is a marquee project for the community that will further enhance our Hollister High School campus and, more importantly, positively impact the needs of our expanding student body,” said SBHSD Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum, Ed.D. “Once complete, it will offer students new and centralized areas to meet, collaborate and study while enabling us to increase our crucial food service offerings. We thank the project team and the community for their partnership and unwavering support in making this new Student Union a reality.”

The new facility was designed to meet the needs of rapid enrollment growth. It will replace other campus food service establishments that can only accommodate about 65% of the school’s students. The union will also include an exterior quad as a gathering space for students.

Funding comes from state-matching funds, state appropriation via the state budget, and restricted and unrestricted revenues, according to the news release. The district partnered with Blach Construction, which is scheduled to finish the HHS Student Union Building in fall 2024.

“Over the past several decades, it has been an honor to partner with SBHSD as we have designed and planned for the future together. Additionally, our partnership with Blach Construction has been extremely successful and productive,” said Joe Vela, principal with Aedis Architects. “This project will finalize Hollister High School's Master Plan vision, adding an impressive capstone to the list of projects completed with Blach Construction. Located in the center of the campus, the new Student Union will not only provide food service, but also serve as a central hub with indoor and outdoor spaces for students to socialize, learn and feel safe, allowing them to fully thrive in their environment.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • Photo credit: Elkus Manfredi Architects

    University of Virginia Selects Design-Build Team for New Residential Complex

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., recently announced that it has selected a design-build team for a new upper-class residential development on campus, according to a news release. Capstone Development Partners—in partnership with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team—will move forward with the three-building, 310,000-square-foot housing facility.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

Digital Edition