 |
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
|
|
Photo contributed Oh planning + design
Student services center remodel hinges on state funding
The Advocate
The MHCC District board Wednesday approved transfer of $757,650 from the college contingency fund toward remodeling the student services center as a part of the capital projects fund.
Total estimated costs for the enhancement are $23.9 million to $26.3 million. The MHCC District board will request this money from the state in the 2013 legislative session.
As a part of the college support services of the capital funds project, the student services area would be remodeled and the 1400 and 1500 wings would be connected and a Hood River terrace construction would make the student services a three-story center.
The remodeled building would provide a "front door, and would serve multiple functions with the foremost vision being that of a community hub," according to the MHCC Due Diligence Report for Student Services Enhancement provided by the facilities council.
Cost estimates for all capital projects include two costs. The lower cost is for construction that begins between 2012-2015 and the second cost allows for a percentage escalation due to time and applies to construction that begins between 2015-2020.
The proposal from the board meeting states that the $757,650 is a budget adjustment only and funds from the debt issuance will cover all appropriated expenditures.
In the new student services center, all of the current operations would remain in that area, with the addition of distance education, health center, and testing services. Services currently under development would also be included in the new center.
Those services include: a community hub, retention and student success, a start lab for student orientation and preparedness and veteran services.
Concerning the community hub, the due diligence report provided by the facilities council at the Wednesday board meeting, community is defined as the entire district and public in general
Notes included in the report for the "start lab" indicate that the lab will be used for AVID, student cohort and learning community development, Appreciative Advising, initial goal setting and education planning.
Two other capital projects were submitted to the MHCC District board by the facilities council: one project was a proposal to recreate the library into a complete two-story structure, and the other was a new building called the Technology Innovation Center (TIC) to house industrial technology operations.
The first floor of the library renovation, if approved, would have replaced public safety and the testing center.
The library then would have had a complete second story, replacing the open space of the existing second floor. The price of the proposed library construction is $26.5-29.2 million.
The TIC project would have involved demolition of the Industrial Technology building and construction of the new center east of Allied Health and north of the current Industrial Technology building. The estimated cost of this project is $23.9-26.3 million.
The next board meeting is scheduled for May 9.
The Advocate reserves the right to not publish comments based on their appropriateness.