Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale collecting funds for medical building

SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Technical Institute has received commitments of $10 million for a new medical building and has applied for an additional $9.9 million in grants from other sources.

Jim Rollins, institute president, updated board members on the project during their quarterly meeting Thursday.

The proposed 50,000-square-foot facility would be built on the north side of the institute's Springdale campus, according to Robin Eason, vice president of instruction. It would house the school's allied health programs -- which include training programs for licensed practical nursing, surgical technician, certified nursing assistant and sterile processing -- and create room to start additional training programs, she said.

The new facility will allow the institute to triple its annual number of medical graduates, according to Rollins.

When the institute began discussing the project 10 months ago, it was estimated to cost $10 million, but construction prices have spiraled, Rollins said. While the exact costs won't be known until the design is complete and the project has been bid, it's now estimated to cost between $12 million and $15 million, he said.

So far, the institute has been awarded $2.5 million from the Alice Walton Foundation, $2 million from the city of Springdale and $500,000 from Washington County, Rollins said. The Excellerate Foundation has also committed $5 million to the project, he said.

Congressman Steve Womack announced in April the institute would receive a $2 million U.S. Federal Community Grant, but Congress still has to act on the plan to ensure it becomes a reality, according to board documents.

The institute has applied for additional grants from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the state Fiscal Recovery Fund, Rollins said.

Northwest Technical Institute set up a nonprofit education foundation to collect donations for the medical building last year.

The institute interviewed three architecture firms in May, including Architecture Plus of Fort Smith; Wittenberg Delony & Davidson of Fayetteville; and Core Architects of Fayetteville, Rollins said. Wittenberg Delony & Davidson was selected for the project, he said.

The next step will be choosing a construction management firm, Rollins said. The institute interviewed Baldwin & Shell Construction of Springdale; Flintco of Tulsa, Okla.; and Nabholz of Rogers this week, he said. Administrators are in the process of analyzing the bids and should select a firm soon, he said.

Rollins said it will be important to make sure the money is in hand before moving forward.

Construction is estimated to take 18 to 24 months, Eason said. Depending on funding, the institute is aiming to open the building in 2024, said Melissa Greenslade, vice president for student support services.

The institute offers several programs for high school students and adults, including industrial maintenance, diesel technology, nursing and information technology. The institute is state-funded but also receives money through philanthropic giving, tuition and fees.

Expanding programming

When the new medical building is complete, Northwest Technical Institute plans to expand program offerings to include:

• Behavioral health technician

• Medical billing and coding

• Medical assisting and phlebotomy

• Electrocardiograph technician

• Limited license radiologic technician

• Medication aide

• Pharmacy technician

• Home care assistant

Source: Northwest Technical Institute