Published: October 31, 2009 10:22 pm      

Showing off the progress

Dean says new Ivy Tech campus still on track for January opening

The new Logansport campus of Ivy Tech Community College should be open as predicted for this year’s spring semester.

“All of the major stuff is done,” said Kevin Bostic, vice chancellor and dean of the campus. “Right now, we are doing a lot of flooring and doors, furniture and some tile work.”

Bostic said the $16.6 million project had been somewhat delayed by an explosion on Aug. 17, but he said the delays were not significant.

“We are right on target,” Bostic said. “The contractors and workers knew we wanted to be open for spring semester and worked hard to make it happen.”

The explosion caused a fire, buckled walls and sent a worker through a metal overhead door and on to the ground outside. The damage has been fully repaired, Bostic said.

Officials from the school invited local officials to tour the nearly finished facility for the first time last week. Among those invited were Logansport Mayor Mike Fincher and members of the city council.

Bostic said it was important to Ivy Tech to invite those who had been a part of the school’s capital campaign to view the progress at the site.

The 81,000 square-foot building houses a community room, library, computer labs, student affairs area and study rooms to enhance students’ educational experience outside of the classroom. Two life science labs and three health science labs will be a benefit to the school as well, Bostic said.

“It is more conducive to learning,” he said. “We will be able to have more classes at more times with more space.”

Bostic said the school looked for an enrollment increase of 10 to 15 percent for the first few years after the new building is open. The current semester at the Logansport campus has 1,200 students, the largest number ever.

School officials plan to have the building finished by January in time for this year’s spring semester.

“We’re excited,” Bostic said. “This is a great thing for the community, and we will be able to offer more services to our students and showcase that this is a top-notch school for students to consider coming to Ivy Tech.”

• Jennifer Tangeman is a reporter for the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or jennifer.tangeman@pharostribune.com.