After costs at the original site proved to be higher than expected, the College of the Desert announced Wednesday it will find a new location for its “Roadrunner Motors” automotive education facility.
Originally planned for a site adjacent to the Cathedral City Auto Center, the project is intended to keep the college’s automotive and transportation programming current with the industry and provide a pipeline for students to obtain jobs in the region.
The facility is expected to feature a modernized automotive lab and new classrooms, which will be the home for automotive classes currently taught at COD’s main campus in Palm Desert.
“I take my responsibility for managing dollars entrusted to us by the community very seriously,” Superintendent Martha Garcia said in a statement. “It’s important to understand how the decisions we make today can affect us financially five, 10, or even 20 years from now. I am committed to ensuring that we remain responsible with public dollars.”
The college is in the process of identifying possible site alternatives but did not provide any specific locations.