River Parishes Community College is moving forward with plans for a proposed $50 million educational and community hub at its Gonzales campus that would bring workforce training, childcare, YMCA and other student and community services under one roof.
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board of Supervisors approved the project in August and authorized RPCC officials in October to begin negotiating a cooperative endeavor agreement with several local partners to develop and operate the facility.
The project remains in the early planning stages, with several agreements and funding commitments still needing approval before construction can move forward.
RPCC Chancellor Quintin Taylor tells Ascension Business Report that the college hopes to finalize agreements with its partners by the end of the year or January 2027 before seeking approval from the State Bond Commission in the spring.
The proposed facility would be built on RPCC’s existing Gonzales campus, where the college owns approximately 46 acres, according to Taylor. The campus was designed around four development areas, two of which have been developed. The new building would occupy a third area.
Plans call for a full-service YMCA with aquatics facilities, childcare, wellness services, additional classrooms, workforce development programs, food services and a student union.
The college also hopes to incorporate a small-business incubator and dedicated space for the Ascension Parish School District’s Early College Option program, which currently operates on the campus.
Taylor says the project would address several challenges facing the college, including limited classroom and office space, while providing services to help students and residents enter the workforce.
One of the largest components would be a childcare center, which Taylor says could help remove a significant barrier for students and residents seeking education or job training.
“We have some students who are parents, and they sometimes have to choose between going to school or having somebody to watch their kid,” Taylor says.
The proposed facility would also provide a more traditional college experience for RPCC students, including expanded recreational opportunities and gathering spaces.
The project would be funded through a combination of local contributions and bond sales under Act 35, a state law that allows community and technical colleges to finance construction projects outside the traditional capital outlay process.
The legislation requires a 12% local match, estimated at approximately $6 million for the RPCC project.
Under the proposal, Ascension Parish Government would contribute $4 million, subject to Parish Council approval. The Ascension Parish School Board approved a $2.1 million contribution in October, bringing the proposed local match to $6.1 million.
The Capital Area YMCA has also offered $3.9 million to support the facility’s long-term operations and maintenance.
Together, the participating organizations would provide approximately $12 million toward construction and ongoing operations, according to LCTCS documents.
The parish’s proposed contribution will be reviewed at the finance committee and if the committee recommends approval, the item will be placed on the agenda for final consideration and action by the parish council at its regular meeting on Nov. 19.
