Friday, July 18, 2008
News
Baker-Owosso plans $6.5M health building
By NATHAN BRUTTELL Argus-Press Staff Writer
OWOSSO - The Shiawassee County Economic Development Corp. is expected to pass a resolution to approve a $6.5-million new Health and Science Building for Baker College of Owosso, according to area officials.
Shiawassee County Administrator Margaret McAvoy said she sees the resolution passing at the 4 p.m. meeting. If approved, it will mean another step toward finalizing the deal to construct a 40,000-square-foot Health Sciences building to train medical students at Baker.
The idea came about for the two-story structure when enrollment in the medical field rose at Baker. The limited space of the current building was not able to hold the students, nor the programs, said Michael Moore, Baker College's vice president of finance.
“Our health enrollment is about 40 percent of our total population,” Moore said. “We're outgrowing our current facility. We needed to either renovate the existing building or build a new one. It would cost almost as much to renovate as it would to build a complete state-of-the-art building.”
The new building will house 11 classrooms, a computer lab, 19 faculty offices and many health program labs.
“The college is a wonderful economic development boost to the community,” McAvoy said. “There certainly is a growing need to have qualified people step into health care careers, and that's what Baker is going to provide.”
The money is through a loan for $6.5 million it will have to pay back in full, McAvoy said. Of the other three projects Baker has proposed, all have gone through to completion, she said.
“They have performed extraordinarily well,” she said. “They have an excellent record in (paying back the bonds).”
Once the EDC does pass the resolution, it will go to the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners, where it is again expected to pass, McAvoy said.
“Nothing is finalized until the board of commissioners goes through,” McAvoy said. “I don't see any issues with it.”
Baker Facilities Director Pat Praski said Morgan Construction of Flint will head up the project, but no subcontractors have been hired. He also said Baker had not settled on final interior blueprints on the project.
Moore said he expects construction to begin in the fall, once “we get our finances in place.”
He also said Sept. 1, 2009, is the target date for opening the new building.
“We're hoping to have everything completed (financially) by Oct. 1,” Moore said. “It may be sooner than that.”
Moore added the project is “exciting” for the Baker-Owosso campus.
“We're also looking to enroll a lot more students,” he said. “It's definitely an exciting time for us here.”
Moore also said the project would not be the last for Baker.
“There are a few more programs we'd like to bring in the future,” he said. “We'll see after we get this one completed.”
- Contact Nathan Bruttell at 725-5136 extension 231 or nbruttellarguspress@gmail.com
Shiawassee County Administrator Margaret McAvoy said she sees the resolution passing at the 4 p.m. meeting. If approved, it will mean another step toward finalizing the deal to construct a 40,000-square-foot Health Sciences building to train medical students at Baker.
The idea came about for the two-story structure when enrollment in the medical field rose at Baker. The limited space of the current building was not able to hold the students, nor the programs, said Michael Moore, Baker College's vice president of finance.
“Our health enrollment is about 40 percent of our total population,” Moore said. “We're outgrowing our current facility. We needed to either renovate the existing building or build a new one. It would cost almost as much to renovate as it would to build a complete state-of-the-art building.”
The new building will house 11 classrooms, a computer lab, 19 faculty offices and many health program labs.
“The college is a wonderful economic development boost to the community,” McAvoy said. “There certainly is a growing need to have qualified people step into health care careers, and that's what Baker is going to provide.”
The money is through a loan for $6.5 million it will have to pay back in full, McAvoy said. Of the other three projects Baker has proposed, all have gone through to completion, she said.
“They have performed extraordinarily well,” she said. “They have an excellent record in (paying back the bonds).”
Once the EDC does pass the resolution, it will go to the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners, where it is again expected to pass, McAvoy said.
“Nothing is finalized until the board of commissioners goes through,” McAvoy said. “I don't see any issues with it.”
Baker Facilities Director Pat Praski said Morgan Construction of Flint will head up the project, but no subcontractors have been hired. He also said Baker had not settled on final interior blueprints on the project.
Moore said he expects construction to begin in the fall, once “we get our finances in place.”
He also said Sept. 1, 2009, is the target date for opening the new building.
“We're hoping to have everything completed (financially) by Oct. 1,” Moore said. “It may be sooner than that.”
Moore added the project is “exciting” for the Baker-Owosso campus.
“We're also looking to enroll a lot more students,” he said. “It's definitely an exciting time for us here.”
Moore also said the project would not be the last for Baker.
“There are a few more programs we'd like to bring in the future,” he said. “We'll see after we get this one completed.”
- Contact Nathan Bruttell at 725-5136 extension 231 or nbruttellarguspress@gmail.com