Construction Starts On Georgia Highlands Academic Building In Cartersville

CARTERSVILLE, GA -- Construction crews are turning dirt to make way for Georgia Highland College's new academic building in Cartersville, and the institution has installed cameras to allow you to view the progress in real time.

Residents can go online to watch the construction as it unfolds. GHC has also asked students, employees and visitors to use caution and avoid the construction zone. Currently, the Cline Smith Road entrance to the Cartersville location is closed until construction is completed. Drivers should use the Highway 20 entrance instead.

The new academic building will focus on STEAM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) areas of study. The college pursued funding for the building and was approved under the fiscal year 2017 state budget which was approved by Georgia General Assembly and signed by Governor Deal.

Georgia Highlands received a total $22.5 million in state funding to advance the project: $2.2 for design, $17.7 for construction and $2.6 for equipment. A groundbreaking event in April recognized the start of the 52,000-square-foot building. The college is also planning to obtain a certificate of occupancy in fall 2018 to be able to teach a full slate of classes in spring 2019. The project was designed by the Stanley Beaman & Sears architecture firm and will be constructed by Juneau.

“The addition of this new academic building will include spaces for laboratories, classrooms, a lecture hall, study rooms and more,” President Don Green said. “This increases GHC’s ability to directly impact and support the community workforce through STEAM-based degrees, and it allows GHC to better serve as the University System of Georgia’s primary access institution in the region.”

Green added that the building will also contribute to raising Georgia Highlands' current $132 million economic impact in Northwest Georgia. The college has five locations across Northwest Georgia in Rome, Cartersville, Marietta, Dallas and Douglasville. He stated that the building also strengthens and broadens GHC’s ability to maintain a strong relationship with school systems across the area.

Rendering via Georgia Highlands College