A master plan lays out what the campus will look like with the address on Main. One reason for the change is because students cannot drive directly onto campus since 1990’s construction. Another reason is because of the new Tino and Millie Duran welcome center inside Tobin Lofts, 1532 N. Main. The campus’ new address will be 1801 N. Main. Photo by Pam Paz
Update: This story has been updated since March 5.
2010 master plan set to flip this college’s address from west to east side.
By Kyle R. Cotton
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Administrators decided this college will change its address from 1300 San Pedro Ave. to 1801 N. Main Ave. at a SAC Project Update meeting Feb. 11.
David Mrizek, vice president of student success, said the change is because of the college’s limited access from San Pedro and the construction of the Tino and Millie Duran Welcome Center inside Tobin Lofts Midtown at 1532 N. Main Ave.
“The decision was made as a result of a lot of complaints,” Mrizek said. “1300 is a wonderful address; it has historically been the address of this college for years, but since construction ended in 1992, students haven’t been able to drive onto campus from San Pedro.”
In that round of changes, Dewey Place was closed at San Pedro and the college purchased the street from the city.
The construction also closed entry at Myrtle Street and egress at Locust Street, leaving the entrance at Park Avenue, which afforded cross-campus transit. Construction of the nursing complex later blocked that transit.
“We are in process of completion of a welcome center,” Mrizek said. “It will be the first place new students will experience Alamo Colleges. The majority of the parking is over on Main, and the master plan from 2010 is going to create a mall entry on campus. This will make finding the new entry area easier.”
Mrizek continued, “This is something that has built up with GPS use becoming more prominent.”
According to the master plan last updated in 2010, the education portable buildings and the service, trade and industry center will be demolished to make way for a veterans’ center, a new continuing education building and the new mall entry.
Mrizek said these construction projects shouldn’t affect the current parking situation even though the future campus mall will cut through Lot 16.
“Part of the master plan is a new parking garage, which should compensate for any loss of parking,” Mrizek said. “Some of the builds in the master plan may not happen; we could add another parking garage. It’s something that’s ever evolving.”
Dr. Lisa Alcorta, interim vice president of student affairs, said, “I feel that the address change is necessary so that it is easier for students to find the welcome center.”
She said the new welcome center will be “a one-stop shop for students to get information on meningitis vaccines, where to go, student housing and about the area.”
President Robert Vela said the address change will remedy confusion about access to this college.
“We’ve started the process (changing the address) with the city of San Antonio,” Vela said. “It was a response from a lot of complaints from students who couldn’t find their way from San Pedro.”
Vela said, “It’s not really our front door per se.”
Vela said the change of address wasn’t put to a public discussion because the issue “is more of a logistical thing for administration to handle to help better serve students.”
According to the 2010 master plan, it should take 25 or more years to finish all changes.
“It’s a master plan; you’re never truly finished with it,” Mrizek said.
