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

  • Upcoming University of Alabama Performing Arts Center Hits Construction Milestone

    The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., recently celebrated the topping out of its new Smith Family Center for Performing Arts, according to a news release. The university is partnering with HPM for program and project management on the facility, which broke ground in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in November 2026.

  • Countway Library at Harvard Medical School

    From Shadows to Sanctuary: The Transformation of Light at Countway Library

    The renovation of Countway Library at Harvard Medical School demonstrates how biophilic design and advanced lighting strategies transformed a formerly dark, insular space into a vibrant, welcoming hub that supports wellness, learning, and community engagement.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

Digital Edition