Bailey Harris Construction, of Huntsville, is building the 57,200-square-foot addition that will double the center's size.
Dean of Technologies John Holley said Tuesday they're hoping the addition will be complete by early 2025. The expanded portion of the center is for the aerospace, welding and manual machining programs.
The building will allow the college to move out of two World War II barracks that line the east side of the campus along Pryor Field.
"From what I've been told, they were barracks that soldiers who were training for World War II stayed in," Calhoun President Jimmy Hodges said Tuesday.
Holley said old barracks have been used for a number of career-tech programs through the years, include machine-tool technology, refrigeration, diesel, painting and more.
While the 1940s-era buildings may have some historic value, Holley said he's not sure they're structurally sound enough to save, so the college plans to demolish them.
Hodges described the buildings as "dark and musty like a dungeon," and said they leak so bad whenever it rains that they have to squeegee the water out.
"We know this is dangerous," Hodges said. "I sold it as a 'life-safety issue' during the process in Montgomery of trying to secure the money (for the addition)."
Hodges and Holley estimated it will be 2026 before they're totally out of the barracks so the demolition can begin.
Holley said the new building will be versatile, allowing some labs to be brought into the classroom to provide more effective instruction, and that more up-to-date equipment will be installed.
He said the three programs currently have about 600 students, but after the expansion he expects the entire center to graduate 1,200 to 1,400 students per year.
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