Penn State Altoona to break ground on classroom building

Penn State Altoona to break ground on classroom building

Altoona, Pa. -- Penn State Altoona will significantly add to its classroom space and renovate its library as part of a nearly $10 million building project.

The college will break ground for its new multipurpose classroom building at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, with a brief ceremony and remarks by state Sen. Robert Jubelirer, Penn State President Graham B. Spanier and Penn State Altoona CEO and Dean William Cale.

The new, two-story classroom building, adjacent to the Computer Learning and Resources Center, will house 56 faculty offices and 24 classrooms, including a music rehearsal room and three computer classrooms. Classrooms will range from theater-style rooms with fixed seating to small, seminar-style seating with moveable seating. All classrooms will be technology-enabled with video projectors and wiring for computer presentations. A small café operated by the college’s Housing and Food Service office will be located on the first floor of the building and will offer beverages and light snacks.

The building will consist of 58,800 square feet. Of that total, 10,000 square feet will be dedicated to a computer lab with offices and supporting classrooms. The college’s current computer labs and computer staff offices in the Computer Learning and Resource Center will be relocated to the new classroom building. The building is slated for fall 2005 occupancy.

“Since becoming a four-year college in 1997, Penn State Altoona’s growth and success have been remarkable,” said Cale. “As we continue to add additional degree programs and enhance the quality of education available to our students, this new building is just one more example of the positive developments that are happening at the college.”

In addition to the relocation of the computer labs, faculty offices located on the first floor of the Robert E. Eiche Library will move to the new building. This relocation will allow for the creation of additional study areas, instructional space and space for enhanced library facilities. The library will undergo more than $1 million in renovations, with nearly 17,000 square feet being converted back into dedicated library space.

The Pennsylvania Department of General Services in Harrisburg and the regional office in Pittsburgh are administering funding of the construction and renovation project. WTW Architects of Pittsburgh is the building architect and Lawruk Builders Inc. of Altoona is the general contractor.