Crews break ground on BC3 Ford City campus building
Construction crews have started building the foundation of a planned Butler County Community College campus building in Ford City.
The 15,000-square-foot facility at 1100 Fourth Ave. will have six classrooms, office space, a student lounge, study rooms, a multipurpose room and a computer lab. It is expected to be ready to replace the current building being used in 2023.
Brian Opitz, executive director of operations at BC3, said the estimated cost of the project is $6 million, which is somewhat higher than expected because of stress to the supply chain of certain materials. He said the date of completion is not exact right now because builders are trying to secure better pricing.
Opitz also said the campus will allow for increased enrollment in Armstrong County.
“We'll be able to offer more classrooms and operating space,” he said. “Enrollment will increase at that location because of this project.”
As of now, construction crews are just beginning to renovate the space. Opitz said there should be significant progress on the facility over the course of this year.
The new facility is being built to accommodate an enrollment increase as high as 426%, according to a news release from BC3. The current campus in Manor Township, which BC3 leases through Lenape Technical School, has two classrooms and office space, so the new facility will be considerably larger, Opitz said.
The facility will be owned by the Nonprofit Development Corporation of Butler, and BC3 will be its sole tenant. BC3 leases the current Armstrong County campus.
The news release also said state Sen. Joe Pittman, R-41st, and former state Rep. Jeff Pyle secured a $1.75 million state grant to help build the campus. Additionally, Armstrong County commissioners have pledged $250,000; Snyder Associated Companies, Kittanning, pledged $100,000; BelleFlex Technologies and PulFlex Technologies, Ford City, pledged $70,000; and NexTier Bank pledged $50,000.
Officials at the groundbreaking ceremony for the campus said it is being built on the former site of the Ford City High School. Opitz said it will be a good learning space for its background and amenities.
“It's a nice plain site, a lot of history of education there,” Opitz said.
