American River College’s $40 million Natomas Center expansion moves ahead

American River College’s Natomas Center expansion is moving ahead after the California state budget dedicated funding toward the $40 million project.

This year’s enacted state budget contains $886,000 in funding for plans and drawings for the Natomas Center’s 49,000-square-foot expansion, which ARC spokesman Scott Crow said primarily aims to increase the campus’ instructional space.

The first phase of the Natomas Center includes its current building, which offers core student services including financial aid, counseling and learning resource services, Crow said. Classroom space is somewhat limited and ARC students share instructional space with nearby Inderkum High School, he said.

The second and third phases aim to add more classrooms and some faculty offices through a three-story building connected to the main building, Crow said.

Construction is tentatively planned for November 2021 and the new building is expected to open by mid- to late 2023, he said.

Plans for the expansion have been in the works since 2006, as college leadership saw a greater need in the growing Natomas community, Crow said.

“We obviously want to serve a growing area,” Crow said. “The need is great – we need more space here.”

The community college’s Natomas Center, at 2421 Del Paso Road, has been offering classes since fall 2005. The campus is surrounded by the North Natomas Library and Inderkum High School.

This story was originally published July 18, 2019 at 12:19 PM.