The Santa Clara Unified Board of Trustees voted to accept the San Francisco 49ers Foundation’s gift to renovate Townsend Field and to approve a district contribution for complementary infrastructure and accessibility work.

The donation presented by 49ers Foundation staff will fund the primary field improvements, including a widened natural‑grass playing surface, a four‑lane synthetic track and related field‑of‑play upgrades. District staff presented a recommended additional scope to add a new restroom and storage building, upgraded stadium lighting, a new press box and perimeter fencing. Trustees approved the combined package and an additional motion to demolish and replace the older west‑side bleachers and to remove the existing visitor concession building; the final motion passed on a recorded vote of 6–0 (one trustee was absent at the time of the vote).

Why it matters: Staff and community speakers said the project would bring a long‑overdue upgrade to a campus feature used by middle‑ and high‑school physical education programs, school athletics, community rentals and youth sports organizations. The district emphasized ADA improvements, safer seating, permanent restrooms for public court users and a track surface usable year‑round in wet weather.

Key details and costs
- Donation (Scope A): The 49ers Foundation will fund what the district described as the primary field work; the construction cost estimate presented was $3,700,000 for that scope.
- District scope (Scope B): District staff estimated the additional district‑funded work at approximately $8.2 million (construction and related soft costs, with contingency). That scope includes a restroom and storage building, new Musco stadium lighting, a press box and perimeter fencing.
- Optional items discussed and approved: demolition and replacement of the west‑side bleachers (demolition estimate $400,000; new aluminum bleachers estimate $1,300,000) and demolition of the visitor concession/storage building (demolition estimate $25,000; full replacement estimate discussed at ~$1,300,000 if built new). Trustees approved the demolition and rebuild of the west bleachers and removal of the concession building as part of the same vote.

Community outreach and next steps
District staff said they held community outreach, including a meeting on Oct. 1 and an online poll (Oct. 1–17) asking residents whether they preferred natural grass or turf and whether to keep or replace the historic concrete bleachers. The poll favored natural grass and replacement for accessibility reasons. Officials also said flyers were mailed and another public meeting on the topic is planned for Nov. 3 for neighbors and stakeholders.

Staff recommended hiring an architect, completing design and securing Division of the State Architect (DSA) approval; staff said construction could not begin until those approvals are in place. The district plans a community celebration tied to the Super Bowl time frame but said actual construction would follow design and permitting and could take more than a year to begin.

Quotes from the meeting
- Justin Pritiman, representing the 49ers Foundation, said the project is “the single largest commitment that the 49ers Foundation has made” and described the investment as an effort to leave a long‑term legacy for students.
- "Townsend Field is our largest and most visible classroom," principal Kevin Ponzio wrote to staff; the district read his remarks during the presentation.

Operational notes and community use
Staff said the field will remain available to current renters during construction through alternative scheduling arrangements; the district will work with existing users (including community youth organizations) to find temporary locations and offered potential storage solutions for groups that currently store equipment under the old bleachers. District grounds staff will maintain the new field; staff said the project will not shift maintenance to the city. Trustees discussed but did not commit to a specific custodial or after‑hours access agreement with the city for community use of the track and new restrooms.

Votes and approval
The board approved the measure (Scope A and Scope B, plus demolition/replacement of the west bleachers and demolition of the concession building) by a recorded vote of 6–0. Staff said the district portion would be funded from restricted state reimbursement funds tied to capital projects and from Measure BB/Measure H bond and related capital accounting where appropriate.

Ending note: Trustees thanked the 49ers Foundation and the Bay Area Host Committee for the offer and urged staff to preserve historical features where feasible. Staff said they would explore historic‑preservation options and report design alternatives to the board as part of the architectural phase.