Planning $16 Million Construction Project

Consulting engineers, architects, construction manager/general contractor and representatives of  TTC-Elizabethton and the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) are pictured on Jan. 26, 2012 finalizing the construction schedule  for the $16 million campus consolidation project on a 12-acre tract at TTC-Elizabethton’s Main Campus, 426 Highway 91, across from the Elizabethton Municipal Airport. Construction is scheduled to begin in May 2012.

Steve Wilson of Spoden and Wilson structural engineers, Kingsport, pictured at right, points to a design change on construction plans as Steve Lucas, executive vice president of Denark Construction, 1635 Western Ave., Knoxville, construction manager/general contractor chosen by the Tennessee Building Commission project, standing at right, observes. 

Also pictured, from left, are Dean Blevins, director of TTC-Elizabethton; Mike Smith, project manager-facilities, TBR; Steve Sykes of Reedy and Sykes Architects and Design, Elizabethton; Tim Shaw and Tom Shanks (seated) of Shaw and Shanks Architects, PC, Johnson City, a joint venture architecture team selected by the Tennessee Building Commission for the project. 

The project will provide 95,220 square feet of training space at one location. Construction of three new buildings and renovation of an existing building is expected to be completed in August for classes beginning in the fall of 2013.  

Currently, 30 percent of training programs at TTC-Elizabethton are in leased facilities. Training programs now offered at TTC-Elizabethton’s Herman Robinson Campus, 1500 Arney St., Elizabethton, will be relocated to the Main Campus, according to Blevins.

TTC-Elizabethton has a headcount enrollment of approximately 1,000 students, with an average 32 years of age, who live in Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington Counties. As of August 31, 2011, TTC-Elizabethton had an on time program completion rate of 88 percent, 86 percent job placement rate and 96 percent licensure pass rate on the Tennessee Board of Nursing examination for practical nursing students to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.

TTC-Elizabethton offers 10 full-time training programs that take 12 to 20 months to complete in Automotive Technology, Business Systems Technology, Computer Information Technology, Diesel Powered Equipment Technology, Electricity/Electronics, HVAC/Refrigeration, Millwright Skills, Practical Nursing, Pipefitting and Plumbing and Welding.

At the Jan. 26 meeting, Beth McPherson, Tri-Cities Solar Consultant for Lightwave Solar Electric, spoke to the group and suggested solar energy be a part of the project. Currently, students in electricity-electronics at TTC-Elizabethton utilize a solar trainer as part of their classroom instruction.

McPherson said there would be no upfront costs associated with Lightwave Solar Electric, LLC, installing solar panels on building roofs or adjacent structures to generate electricity. “There would be no maintenance cost and monitors would be installed in the electricity-electronic classes for students to gain greater insight into the installation and operation of solar panels,” McPherson said.

In response, Mike Smith, project manager-facilities, TBR, said existing TBR policy prevents installation of solar panels on roofs of school buildings governed by TBR. “If the roof leaks, there will be a question of liability in determining who is responsible to make repairs,” Smith said.

A solar panel installation at ETSU is a strictly a demonstration system, according to Smith.  “There are no risks to TBR and no roof integrity liability. At Cleveland State Community College, there is a pole mounted demonstration of solar panels,” Smith said.

McPherson said when TBR contracts with a third party, the third party assumes the liability. She predicted the solar panels would have a life span of 30 to 35 years.  Dean Blevins, director, said TTC-Elizabethton would keep all options open for further discussion on the use of green energy for cost-savings and student instruction.

Design team engineers for the campus consolidation project are Engineering Services Group, 900 East Hill Ave., Suite 350, Knoxville (mechanical); West, Welch, Reed, 5417 Ball Camp Pike, Knoxville (electrical); and Spoden & Wilson, 214 S. Commerce St., Suite 201, Kingsport (civil and structural).