For Immediate Release
December 14, 2007
Contact:  John Hammond, Director
Or Deborah Martin, Public Information Officer
Public Relations, 210-733-2147

Today, San Antonio College celebrated its new Parking Garage, one of the
Alamo Community Colleges¹ capital improvement projects funded by the passage
by Bexar County voters of the $450 million ACCD bond issue in 2005.  The
Parking Garage, which costs $14,847,000, will be open to students, faculty
and staff when they return for classes in the Spring Semester.

³The new Parking Garage is a great cause for celebration,² said President
Robert E. Zeigler.  ³With our large student enrollment of about 22,000
students, plus a 14,000 annually in Continuing Education, and more than
1,000 employees, we have long needed more parking spaces.²

He added, ³I would especially like to thank our students, faculty and staff
for their patience in putting up with the parking shortage and
inconveniences during the past year of construction. I am also pleased that
the Parking Garage is such a well-designed and attractive addition to our
college campus.²  

Also making remarks on the occasion were ACCD Chancellor Bruce Leslie, ACCD
Board Chairman Roberto Zarate, ACCD Board Member Charlie Conner, President
of the ACCD Foundation Board Jackie Van De Walle, Assistant Director of
Operations for Facilities J.G. (Lalo) Gomez, 3D/Foster Vice President Gene
Rutherford, Travis Elementary School Principal and SAC Capital Improvement
Program Advisory Committee Member Graciela De La Garza, and Student
Government Association in-coming President Mary Perez.

A student choir from neighboring Travis Elementary also performed at the
event.  The ceremony concluded with Ms. Perez and Tim Rockey, Chair of the
Parking Committee and Dean of Continuing Education, driving the first car
(donated for the occasion by event sponsor Cavender Cadillac) through a red
ribbon into the northeast entrance of the Parking Garage.

The contractor for the Parking Garage is Vaughn Construction, and the
architect is O¹Connell-Robertson.  Construction began in February 2007 on
the Parking Garage, which will have 1,100 parking spaces and five levels.
The structure includes two glass-back elevators, a stairwell tower and is
constructed of pre-cast concrete, with a distinctive red brick exterior that
harmonizes with the other buildings on campus.  Additionally, perforated
metal panels and glass storefront systems will help soften the exterior.

Other construction at SAC funded by the bond issue includes a new
Nursing/Allied Health Building and a new Academic Complex due for completion
in the fall of 2008, in addition to renovations of the Nail Technical
Center, Moody Learning Center, and the current Nursing Education Building.
In addition, with funding from a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development grant, SAC is in the planning phase of expansions to the Seguir
Adelante Community Center, operated by the Programs and Services for Women
and Non-Traditional Students.