City Hall North will house Brooks Institute.
Brooks Institute and the City of Ventura have announced a strategic partnership that will result in a new home for the campus and a catalytic boost to the local economy of Downtown Ventura. All campus functions will relocate to Downtown Ventura by the end of 2016. Brooks Institute is currently located off Highway 33 in unincorporated Ventura County.
This relocation, which is part of Brooks Institute’s strategic plan, supports the school’s evolution from a respected photography school to a national and international resource for today’s creative global economy. As Brooks prepares its students for careers in the visual arts and media, the relocation to Downtown Ventura will offer new opportunities for students and for Brooks to become a cornerstone of arts and culture activities in the Downtown area.
The Brooks campus transition to an urban setting will provide a safe and walkable campus environment with access to restaurants, arts, culture, recreation, shopping, housing and public transportation. All classes and student support services will also be located in the Downtown area.
“We want to thank the City of Ventura for offering a new home to Brooks Institute,” said Edward Clift, President of Brooks Institute. “We are excited about the many possibilities this relocation will bring, including partnering with Ventura to become an increasingly vibrant arts and media hub in the region. It is a bold step and true testament to the innovative spirit of this city. We are looking forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship.”
“We welcome Brooks to Downtown Ventura and recognize the value that this move will have in stimulating the local economy of our historic downtown,” said Mayor Erik Nasarenko. “Not only is this a unique collaboration between public and private institutions, it also marks a significant accomplishment for the City of Ventura in terms of business attraction. Bringing more than 340 students and 80 faculty members into Downtown Ventura on a daily basis will stimulate the local economy and our city as a whole.”
Brooks Institute will begin moving key offices and classes to Downtown Ventura this spring, occupying the first and second floors of the historic Erle Stanley Gardner Building, located at 21 California Street, and the building known as City Hall North, located at 505 Poli Street, which is immediately adjacent to Ventura’s historic City Hall. The Gardner Building will serve as the new welcome center for Brooks’ prospective students and their families. This historic building will also be the location of the Brooks Institute’s 70th anniversary celebration this year. The building will open mid-2016.
Non-profits now located in the City Hall North floors that Brooks’ will occupy will either locate to a different floor or will have to seek new locations, perhaps in Ventura.
For more information about Brooks Institute and the school’s programs, visit www.brooks.edu or call 585-8000.
