Santa Fe (SF) College recently announced that sitework has started on its Blount Center campus in downtown Gainesville in preparation for the construction of a $16 million automotive technology training center.
SF first introduced plans to build the 17,200-square-foot facility this past fall. The training center will be built on the former site of Mauldin’s Auto Glass, which closed in 2021.
According to an SF press release, crews will prepare the site for demolition and then make the area ready for construction, which is expected to start in June.
“The college is working with contractors to minimize disruption during construction to every extent possible,” the release said.
Once completed, the training center is expected to expand “program capacity to meet the growing needs of regional employers,” the release said. The facility will include interactive classrooms and specialty teaching bays, capable of serving up to 60 students per semester.
The release stated that the graduates of the associate degree program, which will grow from SF’s Northwest Campus, “have a 100% job placement rate in the industry and will provide in-demand workforce opportunities for students.”
“The Automotive Technology Training Center will be transformative for our community and for our industry partners,” SF College President Paul Broadie II said in the release. “We are creating a skilled workforce for local employers and giving our students the education and training they need for these high-demand, high-wage jobs in the automotive industry.”
The release states that employers who were actively involved in developing the training center and its curriculum will also be able to access the facility to train current employees.
As part of the prep work, the former Church of God building adjacent to the site will be demolished. Church leaders sold the aging building to the SF Foundation in 2024 after moving to a new location.
While the church relocated, it has maintained a close partnership with SF and has supported the expansion of the downtown campus “because of the increasing educational and career opportunities for residents in the area,” the release said.
Rev. Anthony Pelt, bishop of the Church of God of Florida, spoke at a community forum in October 2025 where the initial plans for the training center were presented. He commended SF for bringing opportunities to the community.
“Younger people will find there is still an art; there is still an avenue for young men and young women to make a great living,” he said in the release.
SF plans to install a plaque honoring the church and its long history of service to the surrounding community.
As part of the project, sidewalks will also be added to the north end of the Blount Center campus, “connecting to the rail trail, the surrounding neighborhood,” and across the center property to improve “both pedestrian access and safety,” the release said. Green spaces are also planned to “enhance the landscape.”
“We look forward to our neighbors and partners joining us for a groundbreaking celebration this summer,” Broadie said.
The training center is expected to open in the fall of 2027.