June 20, 2023
Northland Community and Technical College plans to make use of more than 5 million in funding earmarked by the Minn. Legislature for major renovation projects at both campus locations.
Bond funding of $3,282,000 has been approved for a renovation project at the Teaching and Learning lab on the East Grand Forks campus. An additional $2,436,222 bonding allocation was recently granted from the Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) program to complete a roof replacement on the 1991 classroom addition at the aerospace site on the Thief River Falls campus.
The programs impacted on the East Grand Forks campus include the Early Childhood and Education Program, Pharmacy Technology Program, Respiratory Therapy Program, Radiology Program and the Computer and Networking Technology Program. Major renovations to the Teaching and Learning lab will address important concerns like student and faculty safety, accreditation requirements and ongoing maintenance.
“This project was initiated within our facilities comprehensive plan and was a team effort that included students, faculty, staff and administration,” said facilities director Clinton Castle. “Credit goes to JLG architects for the excellent submittal of the predesign, Bob Gooden for project planning and meeting all required deadlines for submittal, Minnesota State System for supporting our project and all the students, faculty, staff and administrators that provided input. This project will show that the college is invested in and excited about supporting our community needs.”
The approved design concept for the renovation project focuses on providing “real world” simulations for each program, a contemporary teaching and learning environment with appropriate active learning technologies, adequate space for students and faculty, benchtop workspace, and contemporary equipment needs. The renovation will provide a competitive edge for Northland to attract and retain both students and faculty to continue serving the workforce needs of the region.
The HEAPR funding of $2,436,222 — expected mid-May — will be used for the Thief River Falls aerospace classroom roof replacement project. The building houses the Aviation Maintenance Technology program, the cutting-edge Geospatial Applications certification, and the nation’s first Unmanned Aerial Systems maintenance training program. Both projects will follow the same timeline, with construction beginning on both campuses in mid-May 2024.
“This is the top priority on our HEAPR list,” Castle said. “This project will significantly reduce facility deferred maintenance and will meet MN state roofing design standards submitted by Roof Spec INC. Again, this improvement project demonstrates our commitment to investing in important facilities and programs for the future of the college.”