COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA'S NORTHEAST REGIONAL CENTER EXPANSION PROJECT WILL OFFER NEW SERVICES TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10, 2008 – Community College of Philadelphia broke ground on a $31 million expansion and redesign of its Northeast Regional Center, 12901 Townsend Rd., on Friday, Oct. 3. The eco-friendly project will create space for new academic offerings, including new biotechnology and business programs.

U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, who helped the College obtain a $1.6 million federal grant for the project, was on hand to assist Stephen M. Curtis, the president of Community College of Philadelphia, in celebrating the momentous event attended by a host of other dignitaries. "I like what I see at Community College of Philadelphia," Specter said. “I very much appreciate the tremendous work you are doing here."

Another speaker, State Senator Michael Stack, surprised the College and board members, with the unexpected gift of an additional $1 million in state capital budget money for the NERC expansion.

U.S. Representatives Allyson Schwartz and Patrick Murphy, who were unable to attend, also assisted the College in obtaining a federal grant for the NERC project that will help the College better serve the Northeast business community.

Using cutting-edge, green construction methods and technology, the College plans to build a new 58,000-square-foot, three-story building, which will be adjacent to the existing 60,000-square-foot NERC.

The NERC expansion and redesign will provide state-of-the-art classrooms and technology rich space that will make it possible to accommodate nearly double the 1,500 full-time students the NERC currently accommodates. There also will be new student amenities, including expanded dining services and an expanded bookstore.

"Once completed, the project will enable the College to address enrollment demand and to expand current program offerings in Accounting, Business, Culture Science and Technology, Education, Justice, Liberal Arts, Honors and Management," President Curtis said. "Several new programs also will be offered at the NERC, including Emergency Medical Technology, Computer Forensics, Health Services Management, Biotechnology, Bioprocessing, and Business and Industry training.”

The Business and Industry education services offered will be funded in part by a $282,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration."The programs will be tailored to the needs of small businesses and mid-sized industries in the Northeast, positioning the NERC as an economic hub for the community and the city," President Curtis said.

A key component of the NERC expansion and redesign is a geothermal heating and cooling system made possible by the $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. The grant also will help support the College’s new Institute for Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing. Through the Institute, the College will offer certificates in bioprocessing (fermentation) and process technology (process control/petrochemical) at both its NERC and Main campuses that can lead to an Associate’s degree in Applied Science and Engineering Technology.

The College will train students in the biotech fields, producing skilled workers for the region's emerging biotechnology industry. Philadelphia is one of the elite centers in the country with growth potential in the Life Sciences, according to a report by The Milken Institute, a publicly supported nonpartisan, independent think tank.

"This initiative is in direct response to the local biotech industry’s need for skilled workers to fill current and future positions," President Curtis said. "The College is proud to take another step forward in preparing residents for an exciting career in this flourishing industry."

The expanded NERC also will include a significant amount of seminar and technology-rich space that can be used to address the educational needs of the Northeast Philadelphia business community. It will link Northeast businesses to services offered by the College’s Center for Business and Industry on the Main Campus. It will also offer new educational opportunities such as a Small Business Management certificate program and Real Estate Appraisal workshops.

The NERC project is expected to qualify for a silver rating under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council for new construction. The project is expected to take two years to complete and is expected to become the first LEED-certified, college campus facility in the city.

The College will seek the same LEED silver rating for a planned $56 million expansion and redesign of its Main Campus, which will include a new Pavilion Building and renovation of portions of the College’s Mint, Bonnell and West buildings, all on or near 17th and Spring Garden streets. The Main Campus construction project is expected to be completed in 2011.

Both the NERC and Main Campus projects will enhance the educational experience for the College’s 34,000 students. Combined, these construction projects are expected to cost approximately $87 million–about half of which will come from the state. The remainder will come from College financing and proceeds from the Community College of Philadelphia Foundation’s first capital fundraising campaign. Most recently the College received a $1 million gift from Barnes & Noble Inc., which will operate bookstores at both sites.