The Santa Barbara Unified School District is moving forward with plans to redevelop the long-vacant Armory site into a hub for career technical education.
The proposal calls for 20 to 30 modular classrooms designed to adapt to evolving workforce demands, district officials said.
“These are students who want to stay in this community. They love where they’ve grown up, but they also want to be able to afford to live here,” said Spencer Barr, a college and career readiness counselor.
District leaders are also seeking input from community members to identify which jobs are most in demand locally.
“What are the current job openings that aren’t getting filled, so we know in high school how to prepare students for those jobs?” Superintendent Hilda Maldonado said.
Officials are also discussing the possibility of converting a nearby parking lot into housing to help address affordability challenges for teachers and staff.
“To retain teachers and staff for our school district, we know that sometimes they can’t find housing, and they decline the job,” Maldonado said.
The project is expected to be completed by 2030.
