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 Jacqueline Hough | The Daily Herald During a presentation to the Halifax Community College Board of Trustees Tuesday, Robert Carmac, left, and Richard Andrews, right, both of Sinnett Architecture, pointed where their firm discovered 50 acres of land the college owns. |
Richard Andrews said during a land survey of the entire campus, the firm discovered 50 more acres that could be developed by the campus.
“It is 50 more acres you can develop and build building on,” he said. “Up until this point, we were wondering what was going to be done about acquiring more land.”
If they had to go out an purchase the acreage it could cost as much as $30,000 an acre, he said. “You have deferred that cost (of buying land). We think this is significant for the future of the college. It doubles the size of the campus in terms of development.”
He suggested some future uses for the land. Things such as athletic fields, automotive technology and welding buildings, a gymnasium addition, a nature trail, a public safety technology center and new classroom buildings, a maintenance building and a basic law enforcement training building.
After the announcement, Robert Carmac, also an architect with Smith Sinnett, talked to board members about plans for academic and student services center that HCC hopes to build in the near future.
Cost for the project will $12.8 million. A breakdown of the total is $9.9 million for construction, $348,200 for site work and additional parking, $915,000 for technical upgrades to 64 learning spaces on campus and $1.6 million for assessment, fees, owner reserves and miscellaneous.
Carmac showed cashflow projections which showed how much the college would pay yearly for the proposed facility.
Andrews noted this was important because it means the $12.8 million would be allocated over time. “This helps to plan out different years when the construction will ramp up,” he said.
Project goals for the facility include expansion of learning resource services, expansion of student services, being a focal point, an open and inviting facility, a logical layout and relationship of services that will make it easy for first time students, improve facilities to address student’s needs, efficient building circulation and improved site circulation.
“All of these factors help the student experience and gets them engaged,” Carmac said.
Within the facility, there will be a range of services from student support services to financial and counseling to a cafeteria and student lounge and library.
With all these services and more in the same building beside each, Carmac said it makes business at the college more efficient and user friendly.
Currently, the student services center is about 22,413 square feet and the learning resources center is 34,168 square feet.
When with the expansion, the combine square feet would be 63,016 square feet.
“We see it becoming an anchor and monumental building on campus,” Carmac said.
In addition, there would be renovations to some current facilities, two new parking areas with 117 spaces and a bus drop for the Early College.
Carmac gave a preliminary schedule, which factored in pending funding, with a completion date of Spring semester 2013.
After the presentation, HCC President Dr. Ervin Griffin Sr. said both men would be back at the January meeting as part of the advance planning process. If the board approves the proposed plan, it will be send to the state.
Andrews noted this wasn’t a building design but rather a plan for growth, development and refinement. “This is not the final shape and form,” he said.
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