- Santa Fe College broke ground on a $16 million, 17,200-square-foot automotive technology training center at its Blount Center in Gainesville.
- The new training facility will serve up to 60 students per semester and include labs for advanced vehicle systems and electric vehicle diagnostics.
- The center is expected to open in fall 2027 and aims to enhance workforce education, pedestrian safety, and community connectivity.
Santa Fe College leaders, faculty, city officials and other community members gathered on Tuesday morning to celebrate the groundbreaking of an automotive technology training center at the college’s Blount Center campus in downtown Gainesville.
SF College first introduced plans to build the $16 million,17,200-square-foot facility this past fall, with sitework beginning in April. The training center is being built on the former site of Mauldin’s Auto Glass, which closed in 2021.
According to a November 2025 SF College press release, the facility “is part of a larger effort to increase access to workforce education and training in the area.”
“I’m moved. I’m moved because so many people have come out to celebrate this transformational moment,” SF College President Paul Broadie II said while speaking at Tuesday’s ceremony. “The moment where we position our students for future careers, for future opportunities, for opportunities to be able to take care of their families, and for them to be able to go on and do amazing things, adding to the economic impact of our community.”
Joining Broadie at the ceremony were members of the SF College District Board of Trustees and Foundation.
“This project represents far more than a new building. It reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality education and workforce training throughout our district,” said Carrie Lee, chair of the SF College District Board of Trustees, while speaking. “One that is accessible, responsive and connected to the needs of our community.”
During the ceremony, Jay Anderson, director of presidential and executive communications at SF College, noted that officials from the city of Gainesville have been “incredible champions” with helping get the training center started and creating new opportunities for citizens. He added that one of the biggest supporters of the project was Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker.
Duncan-Walker took a moment to recognize Broadie and her colleagues, who were also present at the event, including Mayor Harvey Ward, interim City Manager Andrew Persons, and Commissioners Ed Book and Bryan Eastman, before getting into her remarks.
“This 17,200-square-foot state-of-the-art training facility…will increase program capacity to serve up to 60 students per semester and will produce high-skilled, high-wage job opportunities in SF [College’s] service district,” Duncan-Walker said. “It will feature interactive classrooms and teaching bays that facilitate hands-on learning, specialty training bays for advanced vehicle systems, an engine and transmission lab and a dedicated EV (Electric Vehicle) diagnostics lab for mastering high-tech safety features. These spaces will also be available to industry partners.”
Duncan-Walker said the training center will also improve accessibility across the Blount Center campus and “increase pedestrian safety.”
“New pedestrian pathways and bicycle access will improve connectivity to a safer, more walkable environment for students, employees, visitors and residents,” she said.
In partnership with the city of Gainesville, the release said the Blount Center will also use a section of NW 5th Street as part of the training center to allow students and faculty to operate training vehicles in a safe environment.
Following remarks by speakers, Broadie and members of the District Board of Trustees made their way over to a short mountain of dirt that sat to the left of where the ceremony took place and across the street from where the training facility will be built. Placed on top of the dirt were hard hats and shovels for the college leaders to take part in the ceremonial tossing of the dirt.
The training center is expected to open in the fall of 2027.
“I ask that you continue to walk with us, because there is more to come,” Broadie said while speaking. “I ask that you continue to dream with us, because there is more to come. And when we’re here to cut the ribbon [for the training center], the day after we cut the ribbon, let’s get together and go on to the next thing that makes an impact in the lives of these individuals in this community that we serve.”
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.
