11/05/09 Bend

After receiving voter approval of its $41.58 bond measure to build five new facilities at locations through its district, Central Oregon Community College is taking the first steps to begin the construction processes. In addition, the passage of the bond measure means that the college will be eligible for $11.47 million in state funding.

"The board and I thank all of the voters who put their trust and hope in COCC," said Jim Middleton, president of the college. "We recognize our responsibility to reward that trust by designing and constructing the best possible facilities as quickly as possible."

"The fun part -- and the hard part - begins now," he continued. "Communicating with our partners, we'll explore all possibilities, building flexibility into our plans and giving taxpayers the biggest-bang-for-the-buck. Our faculty, staff and administrative team are ready to make it happen."

Facilities include health careers and science buildings on the Bend campus, a technology education center on the Redmond Campus as well as facilities in Madras and Prineville. By expanding services, the college will be better able to address the 45 percent growth rate experienced over the last two years.

The college expects to sell the bonds within the next six months. While the bonds are being sold, planning will continue on some of the projects and be initiated on other projects. Projected timelines are as follows:

• Madras Campus -The college will finalize plans and begin construction as early as the summer of 2010 on an initial building of approximately 8,500 square feet. The plan is to complete the building within a year. The building will be sited on the land donated by the Bean Foundation in Madras near the middle and high schools.

• Health Careers Building (Bend Campus) The conceptual design is complete and details will soon be finalized for the 45,000 square-foot facility. The plan is to begin construction by fall 2010, with an anticipated opening in fall 2011 or winter 2012.

• Science Building (Bend Campus) This building will be about the same size and located near -- or possibly attached to -- the Health Careers building. The plans are still in the preliminary stages; a fall 2012 opening is projected.

• Prineville Campus The college will continue working with its partners (city, county, Oregon State University Extension Service, OUS Open Campus, school district) to determine best location and design of the facility. Construction is likely to begin sometime in 2010-11.

• Technology Education Center (Redmond Campus) Of all the projects, this one has the most planning remaining to be done. COCC will continue to work with business, industry, education and economic development partners to determine appropriate programs and building needs. It is expected that the earliest that this building would open would be sometime in 2012.

• Renovations to Ochoco Hall, which currently houses the health careers and science programs, will take place once the programs have moved to the new facilities. This building will then contain general classrooms to help meet the needs of the expanded enrollment numbers.

According to Tim Knopp, the executive vice president of the Central Oregon Builders Association, these projects will create or maintain more than 450 jobs in Central Oregon. Roughly $15 to $20 million in labor costs will be pumped into the economy in the short term, he said.