Cal State San Marcos might move its Temecula satellite campus into a vacant building on the former site of Joan Sparkman Elementary School, officials from the city and the school district announced Wednesday.

The move, which still needs to be approved by both the school district and the city's Redevelopment Agency, would allow the university to expand its nursing program twofold and start offering more programs in the future, said Margaret Lutz, a Cal State San Marcos spokeswoman.

Sparkman, located near the intersection of Margarita Road and Temecula Parkway, was converted into the Joan Sparkman Alternative Education Center earlier this year.

City Councilman Mike Naggar, during a press conference at the center's multipurpose room Wednesday, said the deal, if approved, should help bring a highly sought after college campus to Southwest County.

"This community has spoken loud and clear: they want a college presence," he said.

If the plan comes together, the new campus could open to students in June 2010.

The conversion at Sparkman from elementary school to alternative education center freed up a 14,395-square-foot building on the campus.

According to the parameters of the deal that were sketched out Wednesday, in November the city's Redevelopment Agency will consider spending up to $3 million to renovate that building so that it could be used by Cal State San Marcos.

The renovation, as detailed by city officials, will include carving out lab space in the building and expanding the campus' southern parking lot.

The school district, meanwhile, still needs to work out an agreement with Cal State San Marcos that would allow the university to use the building for a period of seven to 10 years. The university would not be charged rent, but it would be responsible for maintenance and operations costs, said Carol Leighty, superintendent of the Temecula Valley Unified School District.

As part of its deal with the city, when Cal State San Marcos moves its operations to a different building the school district would be able to use the renovated classrooms for district use.

As far as the Cal State San Marcos' part of the deal, the university will be providing instructors and scheduling classes to accommodate more students.

Right now, city officials said, there are hundreds of people on the waiting list for the satellite campus's nursing program, which is being offered in classrooms in a business complex on Tierra Alta Way.

Naggar said the timing of the deal could be ideal because the school district's vacant building is situated near land slated for the Temecula hospital project and the Tierra Alta Way campus, which opened last year, is "filled to the brim."

School district spokeswoman Melanie Norton said the collaborative nature of the deal is fairly unique.

"It's always wonderful when the three entities can come together. This is a pretty creative solution," she said.

To answer any questions surrounding neighbors might have about the proposal, the city will be holding an open house on Oct. 28 at the center's multipurpose room, 32225 Pio Pico Road. Officials from the city, the school district and Cal State San Marcos are scheduled to attend.

Last month, the district and the university approved an agreement that will guarantee enrollment at Cal State San Marcos for all graduating seniors who meet qualification standards.

Call staff writer Aaron Claverie at 951-676-4315, ext. 2624.