College receives planning authorization for Tech. Center upgrades.

VICTORY TOWNSHIP (Mason County) – West Shore Community College has received planning authorization from the State of Michigan for a project to renovate and add on to its Technical Center after Governor Rick Snyder signed a supplemental appropriation bill on December 30, 2015.

The project was given the highest priority ranking by the state Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) amongst community college requests.

The bill also includes funding for Lake Michigan College, Ferris State University and a project for the Michigan State Police.

Sen. Darwin Booher, R-Evart, and Sen. Jeff Hansen, R-Hart, who are members of the Capital Outlay Subcommittee, recommended the fiscal year 2015 capital outlay planning authorizations last March.

“West Shore’s Technical Center is overdue for an upgrade, and we wish to thank Gov. Snyder, Sen. Booher, Sen. Hansen, Rep. Franz and their colleagues for the support of this needed project,” said WSCC President Kenneth Urban. “The authorization, combined with our planning and design efforts, is a good first-step toward improving the facility and making it a better place to learn cutting-edge, in-demand job skills.”

Specifically, the supplemental appropriation included in House Bill 4095 provides planning authorization for the project, which has an estimated cost of $4.3 million. The project would include the renovation of 66,000 square feet of existing space and a 2,700 square foot addition to the center.

The project would also expand high-bay welding lab capacities, remodel existing classroom space to increase student capacity, and remodel other classrooms, corridors, offices, and restrooms throughout the facility.

After planning documents are reviewed and approved by the DTMB, the Legislature may authorize the project for final design and construction with a line-item appropriation for half of the project’s cost in a future appropriation bill.