Photo credit: B&D

Energy and excitement filled the Monterey (Calif.) campus of Monterey Peninsula College last month as shovels hit the ground to start construction of the school's new music building — the next big step in its bold “MPC Transforms” journey. Designed to spark creativity and connection, the new facility will bring fresh energy to MPC’s thriving arts scene with inspiring spaces for rehearsal, performance, and collaboration. B&D was proud to celebrate alongside the MPC community as this new era for music education officially began. Click below to read more.

Photo credit: Google

Santa Barbara County, one of the country's most expensive housing markets, is taking a bold step to address its workforce housing shortage. The county has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) seeking development partners to transform a parcel at 117 E. Carrillo Street at the heart of downtown Santa Barbara into affordable homes for local workers. B&D is leading the effort to identify a public-private partnership (P3) partner for this transformative project. The initiative leverages public land for public good, aiming to create a model for sustainable, replicable housing partnerships across the state. Responses are due by Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Click below for the full RFQ and participation details.

L-R: Cody Carpino, Matt Bohannon; photos courtesy of B&D

Hey California community college leaders! Join B&D Director Cody Carpino at the CCFC 32nd Annual Conference, Nov. 5–7 at Sacramento’s SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, for “Bricks, Budgets, and Backpacks – Balancing Construction and Campus Life.” Cody will be joined by Dr. Andrea Alexander of Evergreen Valley College and Serafin Fernandez of Gavilan College for a lively discussion on how colleges can manage major construction projects while keeping campuses vibrant, safe, and student-focused.

Then swing by Booth #103 to meet Cody and B&D Vice President Matt Bohannon—and don’t miss your chance to enter our YETI backpack raffle. See you in Sacramento!

Topping out ceremony at Gavilan College's Library and Student Resource Center. Photo courtesy of Gavilan College.

The success of a capital project isn’t just about what gets built—it’s about how it gets built. In our latest thought leadership essay, “Building the Right Path to Project Success,” B&D’s own expert in education facilities strategy, Cody Carpino, breaks down how K-12 and community college leaders can choose delivery methods that truly serve their mission. From defining priorities to blending hybrid models, Cody shares how the right delivery approach can turn projects into lasting community assets. Click below to read more.

Ask the Expert is B&D’s monthly Q&A series featuring leaders from across our practice groups who share firsthand insights on the issues shaping the built environment. Each installment highlights practical lessons, emerging trends, and real-world examples from our work with clients nationwide—offering readers a closer look at how B&D’s experts are helping communities plan, fund, and deliver projects that make a lasting impact.

The B&D Perspective addresses the most pressing issues facing PK-14 facility planning and implementation in California. It is published monthly by Brailsford & Dunlavey, one of the country's leading development advisory and program management firms in the PK-14 sector. To learn more, go to california.bdconnect.com. To view our job openings, go to bdconnect.com/careers. TO UNSUBSCRIBE,  click "unsubscribe" below.