Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Looking around this morning, I’ve found a couple of notices about major university construction coming up. These big government projects should provide a nice injection of cash into our local construction industry, to the tune of nearly $80 million. The project will also further solidify the importance that health care and health care-related studies in Western North Carolina.
N.C. Center for Health Promotions and Partnerships at UNC Asheville
This center appears to be about a $37 million project (130,000 square feet) to be built at UNC Asheville. The building will be the home of the N.C. Center for Health and Wellness. Go here for more.
The project has been in the works for quite awhile. State lawmakers awarded $35 million to UNCA in 2004 for the building. The university is raising another $7 million. Its mission: “The center will educate professionals, study critical health and wellness themes, develop effective health and wellness programs, and share its research findings for the benefit of all.”
It looks like there’s a pre-bid conference on Dec. 10 at UNCA, and construction will kick off after a January hearing where project bids will be unsealed. Complete plans and specifications for the project can be obtained at Bowers Ellis & Watson Architects at 168 Patton Avenue.
The Health and Gerontological Sciences building at Western Carolina University
Gov. Mike Easley, when he signed the state budget earlier this year, approved $43.8 million in funding for a $46.2 million building at Western North Carolina that will be called the Health and Gerontological Sciences building at Western Carolina University out in Jackson County.
It’s the first construction project of WCU’s expansive “Millennial Initiative” project to expand the campus in a major way. Here’s more: “The new building will house classrooms, offices and laboratory space to allow much-needed expansion of Western’s accredited degree programs to meet an increasing demand for licensed health care professionals in a wide range of nursing and health sciences disciplines, said Linda Seestedt-Stanford, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences.”
The news here is that deadline for general contractor pre-qualification to submit bids is Dec. 2. The project is described as a “160,000-square-foot multi-story, steel frame” building that is seeking LEED certification. The project is expected to be bid in the first quarter of 2009 and take two years to complete. For more information, contact Tracy Hargis at PBC+L Architecture at 232-0608 or [email protected].
