Tools

Project Long in the Making

Julie Bercik

Story Created: Aug 26, 2009 at 5:53 AM CDT

Story Updated: Aug 26, 2009 at 5:53 AM CDT

One building is set to lead the way for a local school.
Construction of Columbus Tech's newest health sciences center is well underway.
NBC 38's Julie Bercik looks at a private-public partnership, and what it means for the region.
For Columbus Tech these steel beams are a sign of progress, a year ago this was all just a pile of dirt....
But now construction of the Dr. Robert L. Wright Jr. Health Sciences Center is reality.
“By August we hope to have the keys and be ready to move in fall quarter of next year,” said Linn Storey, VP Academic Affairs.
A project long in the making, the health sciences center puts Columbus Tech on the map. In addition to the 23 programs the school already offers, a handful of new programs are on the way.
"Physical therapy technology is one big one, vascular technology, we're looking at occupational technology,” said Storey.
With state of the art labs, including a surgery lab, the center will give students that critical hands on experience.
"Our bed lab is going to be doubled plus in size,” said Storey. “We have a total of 20 beds now in our nursing lab."
When construction of the $23 million building located on River Road is complete, it will not only provide students with some of the best instruction, it will also create jobs.
"We will be adding new faculty members for new programs,” said Storey.
Those faculty members will be critical. When the new building opens in 2010, enrollment is expected to nearly double.
“An exciting new building, I cannot begin to tell you what it took to develop that building,” said Storey.
Construction of the building has already created local jobs. Almost all of the contractors are from Columbus.