Bluegrass Community and Technical College's (BCTC) new campus on Newtown Pike in Lexington recently grew by nearly 12-acres.
The state conveyed the former Department for Juvenile Justice complex to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), which BCTC will use for future growth and program offerings.
“Our community colleges are vital links for Kentuckians to further their education beyond high school and prepare them for job opportunities,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “We are excited to provide additional land to the BCTC campus. We are confident they will turn it into a community and educational asset that will serve thousands of students.”The Juvenile Justice facility ceased operations several years ago. In May KCTCS approached the state about conveying the property to BCTC in order to repurpose the property for functional public use. The Finance and Administration Cabinet transferred the property in early October.
“This property transfer is a great advancement for education in Lexington. BCTC’s plans for this site can now expand to bring even more high-quality educational programs and services to the area,” said Dr. Augusta A. Julian, BCTC president/CEO.
The property currently includes seven buildings, which will be thoroughly assessed to determine the scope and cost estimate for renovation. Currently, renovations are scheduled to be complete by the end of 2013, with BCTC occupancy and use starting in January 2014. BCTC envisions the new space being used for adult education, program expansion, and career planning and admissions.
The 12-acre acquisition is an addition to BCTC’s 20-year Master Plan unveiled in 2010. The first phase of the plan includes construction of a 90,000-square-foot classroom building that will include computer labs, lecture classrooms, learning commons, science labs, a film production studio and student support services. The facility will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified, meeting the highest green building and performance measures, and is scheduled for completion in fall 2013.
