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Coconino Community College seeks voter approval for $100 million bond for new buildings, allied‑health and housing
Summary
Coconino Community College presented a $100 million bond proposal Tuesday that would rebuild the Fourth Street (East Flagstaff) campus, add an allied‑health building at Lone Tree, expand lab space in Williams and create subsidized student housing in Page, officials said.
Coconino Community College officials urged the Coconino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to support a proposed $100 million bond measure on the Nov. 4 ballot that would fund construction at the college’s main campuses and expand career programs officials said are in high demand.
Eric Heiser, president and CEO of the college, said the request would be a single‑issue countywide bond (except for one jurisdiction with an additional item on its ballot) seeking authorization to issue up to $100 million for capital construction, the college’s first such bond in more than 25 years. “This will be our first capital construction project in over 25 years,” Heiser told the board.
The college’s plan calls for demolishing and rebuilding the aging Fourth Street East campus in Flagstaff — expanding the site from about 50,000 square feet to roughly 60,000–70,000 square feet — adds a proposed allied‑health building on the Lone Tree campus (targeting nursing, surgical tech, radiologic tech and respiratory therapy programs) and includes lab expansion in Williams and subsidized student housing in Page to help students who travel long distances.
Diana, the college presenter for facilities and programs, described renderings and program layouts for the rebuilt Fourth Street campus, which would include construction trades space, advanced manufacturing labs, a law enforcement academy facility and potential colocation with the East Flagstaff Library and a Boys & Girls Club location. Diana said the allied‑health building would support incremental increases in nursing slots and potential additional credentials including respiratory therapy, which the college noted could become CCC’s first bachelor’s degree program in response to workforce needs.
College officials said the bond would not raise student tuition and that the college’s foundation has pledged $10 million to cover administrative and staffing costs related to projects if the bond passes. Stifel, the college’s financial advisor, estimated the average assessed property owner in Flagstaff would pay about $6–$7 per month, with substantially lower average costs in more rural parts of the county.
Board members asked questions about student housing finance in Page (the college plans student housing alongside workforce housing developed by a private partner in Page) and about classroom relocation during construction; college officials said they are planning temporary relocations and partnerships with Northern Arizona University and local hospitals for some programs.
The board did not take a formal vote but thanked college leaders for the briefing and noted the bond will appear on the Nov. 4 mail‑ballot election for registered county voters.
