HOUSTON Houston Community Colleges Capital Improvement Plan takes a giant step forward toward the creation of full-fledged campuses for its six colleges, with two groundbreaking ceremonies set for its Northeast College on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.
The first groundbreaking at 10 a.m. at HCCs Northeast (Codwell) Campus, located at 610 North and I-10 East, will be for two new facilities: the Energy Institute and Science and Technology Building and the Student Services Learning Hub.
It will be followed at 2 p.m. by the groundbreaking for the new Northline Academic Building, to be located near HCCs current Northline Mall location at I-45 North and Crosstimbers.
Officiating at the ceremonies will be HCC Board of Trustees Chairman Christopher W. Oliver, HCC Interim Chancellor Dr. Norm Nielsen and HCC Northeast College President Dr. Margaret Ford.
These new facilities will give Northeast Houston the high quality facilities it deserves to drive business and residential growth, said Oliver. HCC intends to be at the center of this communitys future economic prosperity; prosperity fueled by educational opportunities for its citizens.
The 47,000-square-foot Science and Technology Building will house HCCs state-of-the-art science labs, including specialized labs for biotechnology, process technology, instrumentation engineering technology and chemical laboratory technology. HCCs Energy Institute, providing academic preparation, continuing education and contract training, also will be part of the building.
The 90,000-square-foot Learning Hub will contain classrooms, a 20,000-square-foot library,state-of-the art computer labs and the Student Life Center, where students will have easy access to all student services, including admissions, financial aid and counseling.
The 138-acre Northeast Campus already includes Codwell Hall, which currently houses classrooms and departmental offices, and the Roland Smith Commercial Truck Driving School.
Three new facilities for HCCs Public Safety Institute, providing training space for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical personnel, will open on the campus this year.
At the new 24-acre Northline Campus, ground will be broken for the first facility on that site, a 118,000-square-foot, four-story building, which will serve as the academic center for the campus.
The building will contain classrooms, laboratories, a library, an art gallery and space for community events. It is designed to maintain a low profile in the adjacent residential community, while at the same time providing a new and refreshing development to enhance this urban setting.
Future site development at the Northline Campus will include green space and walkways to provide a college campus atmosphere.
HCCs Northeast College, serves more than 13,000 students, providing a complete academic and workforce curriculum with specializations in public service/public safety and science technologies and is home to HCCs adult and basic education programs.
HCC is an open-admission, public institution of higher learning offering associate degrees, certificates, academic preparation, workforce training and lifelong learning opportunities that prepare individuals in our diverse communities for living and working in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is composed of six colleges serving Houston and surrounding areas.