Lake Land Board Informally Agrees to Move Ahead w/Capital Plan, Including Career Academy

Instead of further waiting on the state's Capital Development Board, the Lake Land College Board of Trustees has decided to move ahead with its capital plan. The plan includes the Effingham Regional Career Academy.

(JOSH BULLOCK)

Lake Land College President Josh Bullock Thursday said the Board "informally agreed" at its November meeting to move ahead with the plan, which involves three projects to be developed over the next eight years. #2 on the list of the three projects is the Academy, which is to be housed in what the College is calling the Rural Development Technology Center. Bullock said it's up to the architects whether the Center will be an addition to the Lake Land Kluthe Center, or whether it will be a stand-alone building.

Bullock said the goal is to build the Technology Center in 2022 or 2023.

Even without the building, the Effingham Regional Career Academy is in operation, utilizing existing school buildings. Students from area high schools are already attending various vocational classes at other area buildings.

First on Lake Land's capital projects list is a major renovation of, and addition to, the Luther Student Center on campus in Mattoon. #3 on the list is construction of a Workforce Development Center and Technology Building. The Development Center would replace a leased facility sold off by the college in recent years. The decision was made by the Board of Trustees in hopes overhead costs would be eliminated by leasing space in the sold-off building in Mattoon until the new structure is completed.

As for the Rural Development Technology Center, the project has been forecast to take 34 months from design to completion. The project cost was earlier forecast at just over $12 million.