Work Starts on $10.5 Million Jobs Center

Construction is underway on the William J. Harrison Education Center, a new $10.5 million education and jobs training center operated by St. Louis Community College.

Kwame Building Group (KWAME) of St. Louis is construction manager and owner’s representative for the project. Construction on the two-story building began in June and will be completed in 2010. The architect is KAI, also of St. Louis.

The 30,265-square-foot education center will focus on computer technology, allied health, environmental sciences and workforce training and development. The new facility will house classrooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, an art studio, science and computer labs, a multi-purpose community room, a bookstore, common areas, an outreach center and administrative offices.

The new facility at 3140 Cass Avenue replaces the existing William J. Harrison Northside Education Center on Natural Bridge Road.  The “green” project will be built seeking gold certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Environmentally friendly elements will include energy-efficient heating and cooling, use of recyclable materials in construction, and source controls of indoor chemicals and pollutants.

The William J. Harrison Education Center originally opened in 1994 to provide education services to a previously under-served population in north St. Louis City. The center has educated more than 6,000 people a year and partners with more than 100 community-based organizations.  The new facility will be  located near Vashon High School and the Clyde C. Miller Academy in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood.

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