Board approves MOU to build 20,000 sq ft FCTC workforce facility at Hastings with $9.4M EDA grant

The St. Johns County School Board approved a memorandum of understanding authorizing the flow of federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) funds through St. Johns County to the St. Johns County School District to build a 20,000-square-foot First Coast Technical College (FCTC) workforce training facility on the historic Hastings High School campus.

Nicole Kovich, executive director for planning and government relations, presented the project and described it as a collaboration among the county, the school district and the county economic development agency. Kovich said the grant award from the economic development agency is $9,400,000 and the district’s committed match is $1,800,000; an additional $552,000 previously budgeted by the district is available for equipment or other project uses after the EDA removed equipment from the approved grant award. The project must be completed by March 2028, she said.

Kovich described the building as a modern 20,000-square-foot facility that will house technical classrooms and hands-on lab space. The first two programs identified for the facility and included in the grant are diesel systems technician and solar/alternative energy; Kovich said FCTC may add a third program during design.

Kovich also explained federal procurement and grant rules that affect the schedule: the consultant who helped design the grant application could not be the same architect selected to design the building, and the EDA must review the district’s architectural RFP before it can be issued. Kovich said planning and facilities staff are drafting an RFP and expect the EDA review to precede issuing the solicitation.

Board members who spoke supported the project and noted its potential economic benefit to Hastings. Trustee Collins said she was “thankful to share” the vision and described personal excitement about the site’s future; Trustee Lau said the new facility will be an “excellent use of that vacant area of the campus.”

The motion to approve the MOU was moved by Ms. Lau, seconded by Ms. Barrera, and carried on a voice vote with all board members present voting yes.

Next steps outlined by staff: finalize the funding agreement with the county, submit the architectural RFP to the EDA for review, release the RFP when cleared, select the architect through the district evaluation process, negotiate an architectural contract and return to the board for contract approval before beginning design.