Add as a preferred source on Google

NH CTE Center Gets 25 million Makeover

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 08/12/19

Officials recently broke ground on a technical school rebuild in Hudson, NH. The Wilbur H. Palmer Career and Technical Education Center, based in Alvirne High School, offers 17 programs of study. Students bus in from 15 other high schools to take part in programs on computer science, digital media, health science and technology and pre-engineering, among others. The center also runs several businesses that are open to the school community, including a convenience store, a restaurant, a preschool and a greenhouse and flower shop.

The new center will include 38,000 square feet of new construction as a first phase. Subsequent phases will encompass interior renovations covering 47,000 square feet.

Among the new additions, according to local reporting, will be a media studio, automated manufacturing and metal fabrication facilities, expansions to computer science and health science programs, and a culinary arts program that’s integrated with the finance and marketing programs.

The project is estimated to cost $25 million, with $8.2 million coming from local tax sources and $17 million from the state. However, material cost escalation and a labor shortage that cropped up when new building starts escalated in the state have led to construction delays and budget overruns. Right now, the project faces a possible $2.5 million shortage in state funding. However, the district said it hopes to resolve the funding shortfall over the next 18 months.

The center is named after the late Wilbur Palmer, who as vocational director at the high school spent two decades promoting the idea of constructing a dedicated vocational center. That finally received state funding in 1991 and opened in 1992.

The school is being built by Harvey Construction in Bedford and designed by Lavallee Brensinger in Manchester.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • abstract representation of hybrid learning environment

    The Permanence of Change: Why Hybrid Is the New Baseline

    Hybrid learning is here to stay, and it's reshaping how campus spaces function.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • Image credit: O

    Strategic Campus Assessment: Moving Beyond Reactive Maintenance in Educational Facilities

    While campuses may appear stable on the surface, building systems naturally evolve over time, and proactive assessment can identify developing issues before they become expensive emergencies. The question isn't whether aging educational facilities need attention. It's how institutions can transition from costly reactive maintenance to strategic asset management in a way that protects both budgets and communities.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

Digital Edition