After more than a decade of searching, the Cuesta College Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the purchase of a property in Arroyo Grande for a new South County Cuesta Center.
“The property consists of a single 16,320 square foot building surrounded by a flat parking lot. It will house classrooms, offices, and study/community space for students. The permanent location will enhance access to counseling, financial aid, enrollment services, and other student support resources,” Cuesta President Jill Stearns wrote in an email sent to the campus community and obtained by The Cuestonian.
The building was previously a Rite Aid, and is located at 1650 East Grand Avenue in Arroyo Grande. Debra Stakes, president of the Board of Trustees, said, “It is a great location with lots of access to nearby amenities.”
Cuesta’s South County Center, as it exists now, is located at Arroyo Grande High School, where classes have been available since 1965.
The Arroyo Grande center has been an essential part of many students’ college experiences over the years, offering a third option for people who can’t make it to SLO or North County Cuesta campuses, but still want the in-person college experience.
Stakes shared that one of the biggest pushes for the acquisition of the new center has been from student feedback. “A lot of the students who come to the South County center work in the evenings, and offering exclusively evening classes at Arroyo Grande High School doesn’t allow them to fulfill their Cuesta goals,” she said.
“The Board’s goal is to reduce barriers for students to go to college,” Stakes said.
The new center will work towards this goal by offering both day and night classes, and things like on-site day care, and other support resources to allow students the opportunity for optimal success in their Cuesta experience.
Stearns said, “The action of the Board starts the clock on a 60-day due diligence period. This will include archeological and native lands research. The escrow period could extend as long as a full year; however, the seller has agreed to allow the District to access the building and begin renovation design during escrow. Opening of the South County campus is expected in 2028.”
