Gulf Coast Community College - Advanced Technology Center Breaks Ground

Thursday June 24, 2010 - A groundbreaking celebration for Gulf Coast Community College’s Advanced Technology Center was held June 24, 2010. College officials, trustees, planners from Florida Architects, and other guests ceremonially broke ground for the new $35 million facility, designed from the ground up to expand and grow high-tech learning opportunities. GAC / H. J. High will serve as the Construction Manager for this exciting new project.

Programs that will be housed in the ATC include Sustainable Building Construction, the Entrepreneur’s Institute/Development Business Lab, the Emerging Technologies Laboratory, and an Information Technology/Computer Sciences center, just to name a few. A key goal is the integration of the curriculum with high schools to provide students with both career and educational pathways based on college credit and employer requirements.

College and community focus groups, as well as site visitors from the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers, made recommendations based on assessments of current workforce and economic development operations relative to degree programs, organizational structure, funding, and the most effective use of the planned “green” and LEED gold certified ATC facility.