AWC eyes new dorms – but not right away
Hold the bulldozing rumors, Matadors.
A notice in the Yuma Southwest Contractors Association Bid Bulletin for the demolition of the dormitories at Arizona Western College is just the college doing its due diligence in budget planning, said Vice President for Student Services Bryan Doak.
“We are looking at the possibility of building new residence halls sometime down the road,” Doak said.
The college’s 2020 facilities master plan, Doak said, includes new residence halls along with “other future needs for the college.”
The three residence halls at AWC — De Anza, Kino, and Garces — were built shortly after the college campus was constructed and opened in 1963 — more than 50 years ago. Kino is the oldest, followed by DeAnza a year later and Garces a year after that.
They offer suite-style living arrangements, which includes a bathroom, shower, phone line and internet access, according to the AWC website, and are also open to NAU-Yuma students.
Campus residents have access to the college’s Fitness Center and Pool, and meals through The Eatery. Two meal plan options are available. The capacity for residence halls runs about 315.
The scope of work listed on the request for information listed dormitory demolition and removal of material, site remediation, creative financing, architect and engineering services; construction of new residence (s); and the possibility of a public/private partnership.
AWC is only one of four community colleges in the state that offers on-site student housing. The others are Yavapai Community College in Prescott; Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher; and Central Arizona College in Coolidge.
“The bid for demolition is our due diligence looking at costs,” Doak said, “but we don’t have immediate plans to rebuild.”