SPRING WATER, Calif.—Grossmont Union High School District’s Monte Vista High School has recently expanded its campus complement thanks to the opening of the Monte Vista High School Event Center and Student Services Building. The multi-use facility was envisioned to support students and faculty, as well as to be a place where performances and community events can also take place. Adjacent outdoor areas also give students a place to meet up and converse.

The campus’s new facility was designed by architect HED, with construction management provided by Balfour Beatty. The event center and student hub cost $14.1 million and entails nearly 19,000 square feet of usable space. The money came from funds set aside by Proposition U and Measure BB.

The building was meant to be energy-efficient, and to take advantage of San Diego County’s ample natural sunlight. Accordingly, the building’s windows feature dual-pane, low-E (low emissivity) glass that allows in sunlight while filtering out harmful ultraviolet and infrared light. Furthermore, high-efficiency plumbing has been installed to minimize the amount of water that could potentially be wasted. Furthermore, a “cool roof” absorbs less heat than a more traditional roof would.

In addition to the performance space itself, designed in the style of an outdoor amphitheatre, the building also boasts a student support services center where students can get their questions answered as well as interact with campus staff. The student support services center features conference and break rooms, the student store, offices for principals and assistant principals, security, storage and nurses offices.

The building was also designed in such a way that views of the nearby San Miguel Mountain would not be obscured.

The addition is meant to fashion a new “gateway” for Monte Vista High School, and also serve as a connector between the school’s upper and lower campuses.

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