College board gets building updates

Students walk across campus at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville in this file photo.
Students walk across campus at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville in this file photo.

BENTONVILLE -- Northwest Arkansas Community College's two building projects continue to be on budget and on schedule, but signs of winter weather could chill the progress, college officials said Monday.

Lucas Pointer, the committee's chairman, provided a quick update to the Board of Trustees about the ongoing work of the Washington County Center and the Integrated Design Lab.

Officials broke ground on the facilities June 27 and July 20, respectively.

"The main thing is we're on budget, we're on time," Pointer said.

More than 300 yards of concrete footings have been poured, stormwater pipes are being placed and plumbing and electrical work continues, Pointer said.

The 35,000-square-foot, two-story Washington County Center will be on 20 acres near Arvest Ballpark and Arkansas Children's Northwest hospital.

General education courses, Early College Experience Program classes for high school students earning college credits and various health profession courses will be offered at the center.

Officials expect the center to be finished by December 2019. The Northwest Arkansas Community College Foundation raised about $4.5 million of the $12 million goal as of June.

Ron Branscum, board member, asked if there were any gains in fundraising.

"I can't say we've made significant big numbers, but we are above a third of the fundraising goal," said Evelyn Jorgenson, college president.

She expressed gratitude for the board members and other members in the college community who have contributed. The foundation has applied for a couple grants.

"We just continue to chip away at it," Jorgenson said.

Concrete for the Integrated Design Lab's foundation was being poured this last weekend when temperatures were in the teens, Pointer said.

The Integrated Design Lab will house the workforce construction management and visual arts programs as they have similar needs in terms of tools, resources and ventilation.

The water line has been tapped into Bentonville's water main, and the natural gas line has been connected to the central energy plant, according to Pointer's presentation.

The 24,000-square-foot building will cost $5.5 million and be paid for with millage money.

The college sets aside one-third of the millage revenue it receives from residents of the Bentonville and Rogers school districts for capital needs.

The lab is expected to be finished by August.

Monday saw the season's first snow in Arkansas. Temperatures hovered in the low 30s.

"This kind of weather is not our friend when we're trying to get out of the ground," said Jim Lay, executive director of facilities and construction management. "We worked Saturday and Sunday too because we missed a couple of days last week."

NW News on 11/13/2018

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