Rogue Community College broke ground on the new $4.6 million Career Technical Training Center in White City on January 16.
“Our mission is to provide quality learning experiences that help students achieve their dreams,” RCC President Cathy Kemper-Pelle, Ed.D., said to the gathering of RCC leadership and community, business and education leaders. “And when they do, it supports the economic vitality of the region.”
The center, which will open in fall 2018, expands the RCC Table Rock Campus with the renovation of an adjacent 11,800-square-foot building, providing much-needed space for new and existing programs; it will also improve the hands-on learning-lab experience for students, helping them on their paths to great careers.
“We’re all about transformational change here at RCC, and when you come back for the ribbon cutting, you will see a true transformation,” Kemper-Pelle added.
The Career Technical Training Center will be a flexible space that promotes collaborative, skills-based learning with the newest technology. It will also contain a “makerspace” that will facilitate collaborative learning among students, the community and business partners.
“Our faculty and staff have worked with you, our industry partners, to design a facility that will challenge students in an environment like they will have in the workplace,” Kemper-Pelle told the crowd. “We want to ensure that our programs are state-of-the-art and meet local employer needs.”
Several programs — including welding and manufacturing and engineering technology — will move into the new center, freeing up space in the existing building for the expansion of other technical programs.
Kemper-Pelle thanked all of those who supported the project: “This would not be possible without the support of the voters of Jackson and Josephine counties, generous private donations and industry collaboration with our faculty and staff.”
The project is funded in part by the $20 million bond approved by voters in 2016, with an additional $1.25 million from a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant. It is also supported by funds from the Morris Family Foundation, the Meyer Memorial Trust, Boise Cascade, Bill Thorndike and Medford Fabrication, Mary and Ted Warrick, Patsy Smullin, Rough & Ready Lumber Company and Jackson County, as well as other donations to the RCC Foundation from faculty and staff of Rogue Community College.
“On behalf of the RCC Foundation, thank you to the many individuals and others who donated to this exciting project,” said RCC Foundation Director Judy Basker. “A vibrant community college requires vibrant community support, and we are grateful.”
The contractor for the project is Adroit Construction. The lead architectural firm is Kistler + Small + White. The contributing firm is Portland-based Hennebery Eddy Architects.
Other bond project updates
Health professions building at Table Rock Campus
The new health professions building at the Table Rock Campus is in the design and planning stages. The estimated project cost is around $16 million. The building will provide the newest in health care instruction and technology for all the allied health programs. The Bond Oversight Committee is working with the architectural firms of Kistler + Small + White and Hennebery Eddy on the design. The contractor for the building project is Adroit Construction.
The project architects and college team met with representatives of each program that will occupy the new building to confirm the space needs assessment developed for the TRC master plan. RCC leadership and Board of Education are also considering relocating the nursing program from the Redwood Campus in Grants Pass to the TRC in White City. The nursing program’s space needs on the Redwood Campus were provided to architects in January to include in the building plans in case leadership decides to move the program.
The design and construction schedule are under development for project completion no later than summer 2020 — in time for the college to transition programs into the building for the fall term.
Redwood Campus science building remodel
Ogden Roemer Wilkerson Architecture will perform a space needs assessment of the science program and prepare a condition report of the existing building. These reports will help RCC leadership decide whether to renovate the existing building or construct a new one. The project is estimated to cost $11 million. The State of Oregon provided a $6 million matching grant for the complete overhaul and upgrade of science education space. Other funds will come from the RCC bond issue.
Redwood Campus nursing building expansion
Ogden Roemer Wilkerson Architecture completed a space needs assessment and a building condition report for the Redwood Campus nursing program. The reports will help RCC leadership determine what is in the best interests of nursing students: renovating the existing building, constructing a new building or moving the program to the new health professions building at the Table Rock Campus.
Fire District 3 classrooms in White City
Rogue Community College and Jackson County Fire District 3 are combining efforts and dollars to build a new $1 million training facility at the Fire District grounds. RCC and FD3 each committed $500,000. Upon conclusion of the request-for-proposals process, the contract was awarded to Adroit Construction. Design concept and cost estimating with Adroit Construction and ORW Architecture have already begun. FD3 and Adroit had a kickoff meeting in January.