Alexandria, La., Aug 7, 2018 — Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) announced today Ratcliff Construction will serve as the general contractor for its new campus to be located downtown in Alexandria.
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) Facilities Corporation, a non-profit that oversees the administration, financing, planning, acquisition, expansion and construction of quality facilities for the benefit of students, recently approved the bids.
After a thorough review of all bids, the LCTCS Facilities Corporation board of directors approved the bid from Ratcliff Construction, which was the lowest bid received for the project. Ratcliff Construction, headquartered in Alexandria, has been in business since 1927. The contractor is a local company as are many of the sub-contractors and suppliers who will be working on the new building.
“We are extremely excited to be moving forward with this project as our plan is to bring all programs and services from MacArthur Drive to downtown Alexandria,” said Chancellor Jimmy Sawtelle. “This approval means we’re one step closer to providing our students, faculty and staff, business partners, and the greater Alexandria community with a state-of-the-art career and technical education training facility they can be proud to call their community college.”
The new Alexandria Campus will be at the corner of Murray Street and 5th Street. The building project is being funded under ACT 360 passed by the Louisiana Legislature in 2013 to modernize and expand technical and community colleges. The legislature authorized $19 million in state funds for the Alexandria Campus and required a 12.5 percent local match. The City of Alexandria generously provided the match of $2.6 million making the total investment $21.6 million.
Construction is scheduled to begin within days, and it will be complete in the fall of 2019.
The ACT 360 project also includes the purchase and renovation of the former McCormick Building, which is a few blocks from the new campus site. The McCormick Building is scheduled to be ready in the spring of 2020.
The newly constructed building will be 37,870 square feet, and the McCormick Building will be 36,720 square feet for a total square footage of 74,590. This two-building approach not only facilitates transitioning to downtown, it also provides an increase in square footage estimated at 7,000 to 10,000 square feet.
“We will be able to move all of our programs and services downtown,” said Sawtelle. “The more industrial programs such as Manufacturing and Welding will be housed in the McCormick Building.”
Plans for the new construction were drawn by Barron Heinberg & Brocato Architects and Ashe Broussard Weinzettle Architects. The firms worked together in a joint venture to design the new campus.
QUICK FACTS
- Plan is to move all programs and services downtown.
- New building will be 37,870 square feet; McCormick Building will be 36,720 square feet.
- CLTCC will be in new building in fall 2019 and in McCormick Building in spring 2020.
Breakdown of Buildings:
New Building Construction
- Administrative Staff
- Allied Health (Practical Nursing and Patient Care Technician)
- Business Office Administration
- Computer Technology Specialist
- Drafting & Design Technology
- General Education (Transferable Courses)
- Library Services
- WorkReady U/Adult Education
Former McCormick Building
- Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
- Collision Repair Technology*
- Electrician Technology
- Industrial Manufacturing Technology
- Welding
*Location pending
Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) is a two-year technical and community college offering associate degrees, technical diplomas, industry certificates, and customized training in more than 20 disciplines to support local workforce development and prepare students for good-paying jobs. CLTCC serves 10 parishes in Central Louisiana through its eight campuses and provides instruction in three state prisons and two federal correctional institutions. For more information, visit www.cltcc.edu.
Media Contact:
Fran Phoenix
(318) 487-5443, ext. 1124
[email protected]
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