Pinnacle, South Austin campus improvements being considered

Austin Community College District has until Aug. 26 to decide whether to place almost a half a billion dollars worth of bond projects on the November ballot.

In June, the district's Bond Program Advisory Committee recommended $499 million worth of projects to the board of trustees.

The board has begun discussing those recommendations, and must decide whether to call a bond election by Aug. 26, district spokeswoman Alexis Patterson Hanes said.

South Austin Civic Club members previewed the possible bond package during their July 9 meeting.

Dr. Mary Faria, the vice president and chief operating officer of Seton Southwest Hospital, served on the bond advisory committee.

The committee highlighted improving the ACC Highland property, which will host classes while other campuses are being renovated, Faria said. Renovations may include a regional workforce center, incubator space and program clustering.

The committee suggested improving child care options; many ACC students are single parents, Faria said.

Other recommendations included:

• Districtwide campus projects to address urgent building and HVAC needs
• Expanding the Round Rock, Hays and Elgin campuses
• Construction of the Leander campus
• Land banking for future expansion

Faria said the Pinnacle and South Austin campuses may receive campus improvements such as security, HVAC or energy efficiency upgrades.