Ground broken for expansion of BC3

Staff report

HERMITAGE, Pa.

Ground has been broken for the expansion of Butler County Community College’s LindenPointe campus and for the Technology Center of Excellence at the LindenPointe site on Pa. Route 18.

A January 2011 opening is planned for the new campus.

The expanded BC3@Lindenpointe will have 20,000 square feet, compared with 4,000 now.

It will add eight classrooms, two computer labs, one science lab, student lounges and an outdoor patio.

It will offer associate-degree programs in business administration, business management and general studies as well as elementary and secondary education courses.

It is funded by the BC3 Education Foundation Inc.

The 16,500-square-foot technology center, located on the same site, is being built by the city of Hermitage under a $4.2 million U.S. Department of Commerce Grant and will provide training for business and industry.

It also will contain a business incubator to bring new and innovative technology to the region, officials said. The college will partner with the technology center to provide training.

Among speakers for the groundbreaking Wednesday were U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, Hermitage Assistant City Manager Gary Gulla and Dr. Nicholas Neupauer, president of Butler County Community College.