NCCC plans new medical building

WINSTED — Northwestern Connecticut Community College will soon have a new state-of-the-art medical professional building to house its veterinary technology and allied health programs.

The college plans to build a 24,000-square-foot facility next door to the Joyner Learning Center on the school’s Winsted campus. Construction is expected to be completed sometime in 2012.

Currently, both the veterinary technology and allied health programs are based in Joyner.

The estimated cost of the project, which will be funded through and overseen by the state departments of education and public safety, is $25.7 million.

In addition to the new construction, the project also includes demolishing the current Joyner Learning Center once the new facility is completed, according to Steve Frazier, the college’s dean of administration and student affairs.

Frazier said the college had considered renovating the existing building to enhance and improve the facilities available to both programs there, but the older structure “has a limited life to it.�

“It would cost more to fix it than to build a new building,� he said.

In addition to providing new classroom and lab space to veterinary and allied health students, Frazier said it is possible that a portion of the school’s new nursing program could also be housed at the site.

Earlier this month, $350,000 in federal funds were approved for the Winsted college to use to jump start a new nursing program there.

Frazier said the next step in the Joyner project is the schematic design phase. Those plans are expected to be completed sometime in April.

“And then we hope to have the design plans completed in 2011,� he said, adding that once those are done, the college will be able to go out to bid on the project.

The college opened its newest building — the 32,000-square-foot Art & Science Center — in August 2007. The center now houses the school’s chemistry, microbiology, biology, physics and general science labs, as well as classrooms, a lecture hall and a student lounge.