Three new construction projects – with completion dates of 2019 – have been approved for Gadsden State Community College.  Those include a new science building on the East Broad campus, renovations to Allen Hall on the Wallace Drive campus and additions to the Cheaha Career Center on the Ayers campus in Anniston, as the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees authorized the issuing of $25 million in limited obligation revenue bonds to fund the projects.

According to Martha Lavender, President of Gadsden State, their strategic plan will focus on quality educational programming and continuous improvement, as well as addressing all of the infrastructure needs of aging facilities.

That science building will be constructed on the corner of Wallace and East Cardinal Drives, and will replace Browder Hall; that new structure will consist of over 57,000 square feet of classrooms, laboratories, offices and an auditorium and a tornado shelter.

Allen Hall will serve students in 22 classrooms and labs and two student gathering areas; in addition to improving instructional space the renovation will enhance the energy efficiency of the building.

Meanwhile, the addition to the Cheaha Career Center will addresse the need for additional general education classes at the Ayers Campus in Anniston, which support Gadsden State’s career technical and transfer programs through the addition of eight classrooms, six offices and a 140-seat lecture hall that will double as a tornado shelter.

The estimated timeline for completion of those projects is January of 2019 for the Cheaha Center addition, April 2019 for the Allen Hall renovation and August 2019 for construction of the new science building.

(al.com/www.al.com)