Work could begin later this year on a long-planned project to build new student housing on the Farmington, New Mexico campus of San Juan College.
The project is taking a significant step forward after winning the approval of the New Mexico Finance Authority for a loan of just over $14 million to build the new facility.
As planned, the project will go up on the northwest corner of the campus near the school’s soccer and baseball fields, and will house 150 beds.
In the discussion stage for the better part of a decade, the facility has been scaled down from an earlier proposed 376 beds and is the result of several studies indicating that students attending the school from Arizona, Colorado and northern New Mexico would take advantage of San Juan College providing its own on-campus housing options.
As currently anticipated, construction of the new housing facility will follow a slightly less than two-year timeframe, with the project expected to be completed in time for the fall 2022 semester.
Located at 4601 College Boulevard, San Juan College was founded in 1956 and has a current enrollment of around 8,000 students.
For years, students living from remote locations and attending the school have lived off campus in nearby apartments and houses.
School officials have earlier indicated that if the initial housing facility proves a success, they may investigate the possibility of building a second one in the distant future.
By Garry Boulard
