Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Panola College Approves Energy Technology Building Construction

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/09/23

The Board of Trustees at Panola College in Carthage, Texas, recently approved the construction of a new energy building on its campus, according to local news. The facility includes 32,000 square feet of interior space and 25,000 square feet of outdoor space, and it will feature amenities like a welding lab; and engines and compression lab; and classrooms and shops for HAC, electrical and motor control, hydraulics and mechanical, commercial wiring, and instrumentation.

According to the Panola Watchman, the project will cost a total of $14.9 million. About $12.3 million of that will go to construction, while the remaining $2.6 million will be spent on furnishings and specialized equipment, according to Corgan Architects project representative David Zatopek.

The main goal of the new facility is to expand the space available for many of the college’s most popular programs.

“We really need more space, and this new facility will allow us to triple our enrollment,” said Panola College President Dr. Greg Powell. Local news outlet KLTV reports that in the current building, between five and nine subjects are being taught at any one time. Classes are stacked on top of one another, and scheduling is tight, said Powell.

“Our programs have grown tremendously. With the onset of the petroleum program, we work with industry to see what their needs are, and that’s how it’s expanded into our other associate degree programs and then some smaller certificates,” said Natalie Oswalt, dean of arts, sciences, and technology. “We will be adding some things like drone technology. We want to be able to offer that to our students and to businesses.”

The Panola Watchman reports that construction began in the last week of January and is scheduled for completion by September 2024.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Auburn University Debuts $224M STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., recently opened its new $224-million STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex, the largest research construction project in the university’s history, according to university news. The facility measures more than 265,000 square feet and brings six departments from the College of Agriculture and College of Sciences and Mathematics together under one roof.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Phoenix High School Completes First Phase of Campus Renovations

    Metro Tech High School, part of the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) in Phoenix, Ariz., recently announced the completion of the first stage of a campus renovation project, according to a news release. The school reopened a series of public-facing business operations spaces including credit union, daycare, floral, cosmetology, and culinary services. It also includes new CTE learning spaces for the school’s nursing assistant, pharmacy, and sports medicine programs.

  • Amazon Expands Lockers to More Than 500 College, University Campuses

    Amazon recently announced that its Locker Network now totals more than 750 locations at more than 500 college and university campuses around the United States, according to a company news release.