An architect’s rendering of central campus of the proposed Southside campus for Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. This is the first part of the campus that would be built if a bond issue on the November ballot is approved by voters. Courtesy Illustration
A November bond election could be the first step in funding the first of three phases planned for a Southside Del Mar College campus. The DMC board of regents voted unanimously to place a $139 million bond package on the General Election ballot November 8. The vote came at a regular board meting Tuesday, August 9.
If approved, the bonds would be paid for by a tax increase that would cost taxpayers $12.30 over three years for every $100,000 evaluation of a piece of property. The campus would open in 2020 if the bond issue is approved.
With 39 percent of the college’s current enrollment coming from the Southside, regents said it is time to make plans for expansion into that area. A fully complete Southside campus would serve up to 20,000 students with 5,000 parking spaces.
Phase one will accommodate about 6,000 students in three buildings at the center of the campus. Two additional structures — a community center and culinary arts school — would be added as needed and funded by future bond elections.
Del Mar Southside is located at the corner of Yorktown Boulevard and Rodd Field Road on 96 acres that the board purchased in 2012.
“There’s a need for this campus,” said regent Carol Scott at the meeting. “There’s a need of an educated workforce.”
A spokesperson for a local taxpayers association disagreed.
“A Southside campus is unnecessary,” he said at the meeting. “If Southside students go to that campus, enrollment on the West and East campuses will go down.”
Plans for the project cost $1.8 million, paid for by a $157 million voter approved bond package from 2014. For more information about the plans, visit a special website set up by the board of regents.
