Open house planned for new NTCC buildings

 

	Student Housing East features an inviting lounge area on the first floor that includes plush furnishings, a big screen television and a private study area.

The public is invited to

attend an open house at Northeast Texas Community College on Thursday,

August 4, 2011 to celebrate the completion of a new student housing

complex and fitness center. The come-and-go event will be from 4-6 p.m.

and NTCC staff will be on hand to give tours and answer questions about

the new facilities. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be conducted at 5:30

p.m. and refreshments will be served.

“NTCC has seen record

enrollment growth in the past few years. This means that our demand for

on-campus housing has also increased drastically. We feel that our new

facility is the best campus housing offered at any community college in

the state of Texas,” NTCC president Brad Johnson, said.

The

new residence hall, called Student Housing East, offers luxury

apartment-style living. Students may choose between four-bedroom privacy

units, where individuals have their own bedroom, or two-bedroom units,

where two residents share a bedroom. Each unit has a common furnished

living space and a kitchenette featuring a microwave, sink and

refrigerator. Private units have two bathrooms with a shower/tub combo.

Semi-private units have one bathroom with a shower and a separated

vanity area. Each bedroom features full-length mirrors and plenty of

electrical outlets.

“We spent a lot of time talking to

students to find out what they wanted. Every effort has been made to

create living spaces that are comfortable and functional for our

residents,” Dr. Jonathan McCullough, NTCC Vice President for

Advancement, said. “Almost everything is included in the room, so

students really only have to bring their personal items. It should make

for an easy time on moving day.”

An aerial view of the new housing complex and fitness center located near the main NTCC entrance. Ample parking was added to accommodate residents.

A

separate 4,000 square foot fitness center was also completed this

summer and will be included in the open house. The building is located

next door to Student Housing East, and will offer NTCC students and

employees secure card access to state of the art fitness equipment. The

fitness center features cardio and selectorized machines, separate free

weight room,  spacious group exercise area, and dressing/shower rooms

with lockers. All NTCC students will be able to use the facility at no

extra cost.

“We have dreamed about having a comprehensive

fitness center at NTCC for many years and that is finally a reality. We

are really shifting our focus to include overall campus wellness and

this is a huge step in the right direction,” Dr. Tom Seabourne, NTCC

Professor of Health and Physical Education.

Both the housing

and fitness center were funded at no extra cost to taxpayers in the

NTCC district. The fitness center was built at a cost of $1.43 million

and was funded by issuing limited tax bonds. The college sold revenue

bonds to fund the $5.73 million housing project, which will be paid for

with the profits generated by student housing. Collegiate Development,

an Irving, Texas based company, was chosen to handle the project from

start to finish.

“While this is a very important project for

NTCC, we did not feel that this was something that the taxpayers should

be burdened with. The revenue bond approach provided us an innovative

solution that we think the community will be pleased with,” Johnson

said.

Students attending NTCC in the fall will also see

numerous other improvements around campus. These include the renovation

of the Student Union Building, the addition of the Caddo Café lounge

area in the Learning Resources Center and the expansion of the College

Store to include a full-service copy center.

Students

interested in living on campus this fall should contact the housing

office at 903-434-8176. Space is very limited and rooms are being filled

quickly. For more information about the open house event, please

contact Nita May at 903-434-8113. More details about housing at NTCC may

be found at www.ntcc.edu/housing.