Sand Hill Property Company, owner of the Vallco Mall, has made an unprecedented offer to the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) to provide temporary facilities at the vacant mall for the FUHSD Adult School rent-free during the planned construction and modernization of the current FUHSD facilities at 589 W. Fremont Avenue, Sunnyvale. The free use of these facilities represents a more than $4 million savings to the District and its taxpayers over the expected four years of this agreement. FUHSD will pay only for utilities and operational costs during this time.
“When the FUHSD Adult School informed us of their short-term need, we wanted to make sure this valued program could continue without interruption so we extended an offer to the school district to occupy some of our obsolete space at the mall. The Adult School is of tremendous value to our area providing local adults skills needed to thrive at a time when jobs are very competitive and the cost of living is incredibly high. We couldn’t bear to see this important need go unmet,” said Peter Pau, Principal and Founder of Sand Hill Property Company.
Construction on the new permanent facility, which is located behind the FUHSD District Office and includes FUHSD’s Educational Options programs, is expected to begin in Spring 2018. The FUHSD Adult School will then be temporarily relocated to the Vallco Mall in Summer 2018 for a period of three to four years, where approximately twelve to fifteen classrooms will be constructed using modular walls.
“We are thrilled that Sand Hill Property Company has offered our Adult School temporary housing at Vallco so that the 16,000 adult students we serve annually will have no disruption in service,” said Superintendent Polly Bove. “While we are best known for our five outstanding high schools, the FUHSD Adult School is actually our largest program, providing critical assistance and support to members of the community in many areas – from English as a second language and citizenship, to Career Technical Education and employment skills. By utilizing the space available at Vallco, the District and taxpayers will save a total of more than $4 million in temporary rental fees and ensure our residents continue to experience the same high-quality courses currently offered. We are grateful to Sand Hill for working with us as a community partner to ensure the continuation of these essential services and to the City of Cupertino who helped facilitate the permit process.”
FUHSD has had a longstanding commitment to engaging and teaching adults and children in the community before and far beyond the four years of high school. The educational services provided by the FUHSD Adult School enhance life-long learning opportunities and aid students who may wish to transition to college or the workforce.
For more information about the temporary FUHSD Adult School facilities at Vallco Mall, please read the attached FAQ.
