Hostos community college was created by an act of the Board of Higher education on April 22, 1968, thus satisfying the demands of Puerto Rican and other Hispanic leaders who urged the establishment of a college to serve the needs of the South Bronx. In September 1970, the College admitted a charter class of 623 students at the site of a former tire factory at 475 Grand Concourse. Enrollment grew rapidly to more than 2,000 students by June of 1974. In the same year, the State Legislature acted to ease an increasing space shortage by passing a special bill to acquire the "500 Building" across from the original site. Also in the same year, Hostos was granted full and unconditional accreditation following a highly favorable evaluation by the Middle States Association. The fiscal crisis of the mid-1970's resulted in an effort to merge Hostos with another institution as a cost-saving measure. This effort was rebuffed by strong college and community opposition, which led the State Legislature to include a guarantee of Hostos' existence in the Landes Higher Education Act passed on June 9, 1976. Since the late 1970's and early 1980's, enrollment at Hostos has grown steadily. To meet this strong interest in the College, the new campus has six buildings, three of which have been specially designed to meet the College's need. Hostos can boast about its classrooms; science, math, writing, and computer labs; excellent physical education facilities; and new theatres.