EAST ALDINE – After years of planning by several trustee boards, last Thursday saw the start of construction for an educational facility that promises to bring great changes to the Aldine area.
Shovels of dirt were turned at a symbolic groundbreaking, held indoors at the AISD nutrition center on Aldine-Bender, due to poor site conditions on the 61 acre Town Center site on Aldine Mail Route. Several hundred educators, government officials, and interested public attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony were Congressman Gene Green, State Representative Armando Walle, East Aldine District’s Richard Cantu and David Hawes, Lone Star College Chancellor Steven Head, Aldine ISD superintendent Wanda Bamberg, and the president of the North Harris college, Dr. Gerald Napoles.
The Lone Star College will have up to 1800 students, in a building that is 65,700 square feet in size. Insturction will take place in seven classrooms, four computer labs, and a science lab. There will be training labs for Nurse’s aide, phlebotomy, and building trades, electrical, HVAC, and welding.
The Early College High School will have up to 450 students in a 45,560 square foot bulding. It will constian 12 classrooms, two computer labs, science labes, fine arts, a gymnasium and a flex space.
The facilities are part of the new East Aldine Town Center, which will also include a campus for the Neighborhood Centers Inc., the Harris County Sheriff’s 911 Call Center, and commercial and office buildings for the District, and outdoor public areas including an amphitheater and access to Keith Wiess park..
When completed in 2018, the center is expected to bring a major change in educational and work opportunities for residents of the Aldine area.