New Braunfels City Council approved $3.8 million in economic development corporation funding to expand the community college’s New Braunfels campus Aug. 11.
The community college opened at the Central Texas Technology Center at 2193 FM 758, in the fall of 2023, with 125 students and 10 courses. Now, the college has 25 courses and has grown to 400 students. NLC President Veronica Garcia said they thought they would be comfortable at the technology center for the next five years.
"What we didn’t expect was that we were [going to] grow so quickly,” Garcia said.
The overview
NLC announced that it was relocating to the former PNC Bank building at 2049 Sundance Parkway in February to expand its course offerings to better meet the region’s growing educational and workforce demands. The college also purchased a 4.2-acre tract of land adjacent to the Sundance building for future expansion, which cost $2 million. The combined total investment for the future expansion and renovation project is $23.64 million.
As part of the relocation, the building will undergo a $7 million remodel, and equipment purchases for labs cost $1 million, Garcia said.
The college’s total remodel cost would have been $8 million. NLC had reserved $3 million for the remodel and equipment, leaving it with a $5 million funding gap.
Previously, the council authorized the economic development corporation to spend up to $1.2 million to aid in the construction and expansion of NLC on July 14. The additional $3.8 million approved in August eliminates NLC’s funding gap.
The pre-existing 58,000-square-foot building at Sundance Parkway will feature a number of additional labs for a variety of proposed programming. There will also be a welcome center equipped with a testing center.
Zooming out
NLC officials made the decision to grow its New Braunfels campus following the steady growth of students from outside of Bexar County enrolling at the college, Garcia said. In fall 2021, 31% of students attending came from outside Bexar County, and by fall 2023, that number increased to 39%.
Comal County’s population is also anticipated to grow by 95.4% from 2020 through 2040, and Guadalupe County is projected to grow by 55.4% within that same timeframe, according to population projections presented by community college officials.
“It’s growing very quickly and we realized we need to do something,” she said.
Aside from NLC, there are two other institutions within New Braunfels city limits that offer various programs, degrees and certifications, including Howard Payne University and Texas State Technical College.
What you need to know
Garcia said she has seen a growing interest in dual credit programs. NLC partners with Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, New Braunfels ISD, Judson, Marion and Comal ISDs to offer those programs.
“We’re seeing a huge expansion [of dual credit programs] out in the Comal and Guadalupe counties, and so that allows for students to jumpstart their education so that they can transfer in,” Garcia said.
The impact
The city’s investment in NLC is expected to generate more than $280 million in regional economic output over the next decade and produce nearly 600 skilled graduates earning roughly $82,000 annually, Jeff Jewell, New Braunfels director of economic and community development, said in a news release.
“This project not only strengthens our local workforce pipeline but also delivers lasting community benefits—supporting job creation, expanding training opportunities and cementing New Braunfels’ role as a hub for talent and innovation,” Jewell said in the release.
NBISD’s Chief Academic Officer Lani Norman said dual credit opportunities provide students with access to engaging learning experiences while offering cost savings.
“With dual credit course enrollment on the rise, the wide variety of courses offered will provide more personalized pathways for our students,” Norman said.
What they're saying
“A junior college of any type was always a topic of conversation, many, many years ago ... I’m very proud of [Northeast Lakeview College]," said Lawrence Spradley, District 4 council member.
“This is a pretty exciting project if we think about what’s fundamental and most important about economic development—I’d say it’s giving kids a future," said Jonathan Packer, President & CEO of the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce.
What's next
Design on the project is anticipated to be completed by October, with construction beginning in winter of this year. The community college is slated to open its doors in the newly remodeled space in the fall of 2026, Garcia said.
“This is just the beginning,” she said. “We’re seeing a very busy, bright future in that facility.”
Garcia said they plan on engaging with the community to see what needs are for a future expansion at the adjacent property.
Sharon Nittinger, director of NLC at New Braunfels, said she has received a lot of positive feedback from the community.
“It’s just exciting when people are excited to see what you’re bringing to the community,” Nittinger said.
