Big Changes Are Under Way At SFCC

AVON PARK - As South Florida Community College students walk through the heart of campus, construction noises fill the air.

Crews are working on a $3-million project to renovate four buildings at the Highlands campus. Buildings C, T, F and C2 will all be receiving facelifts.

R.L. Geiger, SFCC building official, said the opening of the Health and Science Education Center in August freed up space in the buildings formerly used by the health and science departments for the renovations. The completion of the project will create more classrooms, office space and a larger board room.

The project began Oct. 1 and will continue in phases through May 30, 2008. Each renovated building will be reoccupied as soon as its phase of construction has ended.

Building C2, formerly the board room, will become the home of the purchasing department and mailroom.

Frank Hughes, project superintendent with Mathews Construction, said the building is the smallest of the four to be renovated. Crews have gutted the building and will install new drywall, ceilings, air conditioning, lighting and carpet, as well as interior walls to divide the space.

Building F was previously used for science laboratories and classrooms, which moved into the second story of the Health and Science Education Center.

The building, which overlooks Lake Glenada, will become offices for the president, three vice presidents and their staff.

"Right now the vice presidents' offices are spread out across campus, so this will allow them all to be in a centralized location," Geiger said.

Hughes said building F was completly gutted, including demolition of interior and exterior walls and windows.

A conference room will connect buildings F and C. Renovations to Building C will start in February, after the completion of the other buildings. The building currently houses the mailroom and offices of the president, two vice presidents and community relations department.

After renovations, Building C will house the community relations department and a multipurpose board room. Geiger said the board room will be equipped with all the latest technology.

Building T, located on the southeast corner of campus, formerly housed the nursing program, which moved into the first floor of the Health and Science Education Center.

It will become the new home of Corporate and Continuing Education programs, which provide training that helps businesses and individuals develop better workforce skills.

Geiger said classrooms used for this program are currently scattered throughout the campus, and the renovated building will feature three classrooms, a kitchenette and new restrooms. The office suite will remain unchanged.

The racquetball courts, just south of Building B, were closed in September to make room for Mathews Construction's trailer for office space. The courts will reopen May 30, 2008.

Mathews Construction also constructed the Health and Science Education Center, which finished on time and within budget. Hughes said this is his sixth project for SFCC.