The 13,200-square-foot building, currently used for storage, will be turned into state-of-the-art facilities for four programs: HVAC, construction, hotel and apartment maintenance, and a program to be determined.
The grant is part of $1.6 billion in funding recently announced by the Environmental Protection Agency for 105 selected applications from across the country.
“We are grateful the EPA selected the SWRF grant and for GTCC to be involved in such an important and impactful endeavor for our community and students,” said GTCC President Anthony Clarke. “This funding will allow us to have a positive impact on the High Point community surrounding our downtown campus, while providing students with the best possible environment to learn high demand skilled trades.”
GTCC purchased the property at 721 S. Hamilton St. in 2007, according to documents from the Guilford County Register of Deeds.
In an email to the News & Record, Clarke said that $4.4 million will be spent to transform the Johnson Warehouse into a skilled trades center and the school hopes to complete the renovations “within 1.5-2 years after the funds are secure.”
Once completed, the renovated facilities will be used to train approximately 75 students a year for green jobs that are projected to provide at least $40,000 a year in earnings and an annual economic impact of $3 million for the community.
Additionally, GTCC will spend $81,950 of the grant money to support students attending classes at the High Point Skilled Trades Center with a full-time career navigator who will provide direct support to eligible and current students about career pathways, academic plans, goal identification, and barrier removal.
The grant will also be used to cover the addition of two electric-powered 15-person vans allowing local residents means to travel to GTCC’s campus, and an EV charging station will be installed at the High Point campus.
According to Clarke, a little over $300,000 will be spent on the vans and one of the vans will be wheelchair-accessible.
Finally, some money from the grant will be used to provide a work-based learning opportunity for GTCC students enrolled in the Civil Engineering Technology and Geomatics Technology Associate in Applied Science programs.
These students will work in partnership with N.C. State University and the Piedmont Conservation Council to test water quality along Richland Creek.
According to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality “Richland Creek is currently impaired for recreation due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, which is used as an indicator of the possible presence of blood borne pathogens.”
“This component of the grant will provide GTCC students with an opportunity to gain field experience by assisting Dr. Jay Levine (NC State University) with the water testing and geospatial mapping project of Richland Creek,” Clarke said. “GTCC students will assist Levine’s field team with water sampling, mapping, and public outreach on the research findings. Grant funds will be used to pay students an hourly wage for this work-based learning opportunity.”
©2024 the News & Record (Greensboro, N.C.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
