Education Feature: Proposed allied health center downsized

A proposed allied health center at Clovis Community College has been downsized and construction delayed because of higher than expected bids, according to school officials.

CCC Vice President for Administration David Pacheco said the college solicited bids for a 16,000-square-foot facility with a budget of about $4.2 million. Out of three bids the college received, the lowest was about $5.1 million.

Pacheco said new bids for a smaller facility, about 14,000 square feet, will be sent out in February. Construction should start by April and completed by February 2009, officials said.

The new building will have three classrooms that can fit about 40 students and two laboratories, Pacheco said.

The new facility would house the nursing, radiology technology and allied health care programs, according to Becky Rowley, executive vice president for educational services.

“We do need more space to accommodate more students,” she said.

With the new facility, the college plans to expand its nursing program, Rowley said. She said the nursing program selects about 40 nursing students each semester. Even with the new, smaller facility, it can increase the class size to 60, she said.

The rooms the nursing program would vacate will be used for by the Emergency Medical Services program, Rowley said.

College officials hoped the center would be ready in time for the 2009 spring semester.

Tom Drake, assistant to the president for business and government relations, said the college already has funds from the state set aside for the project.