“This is really a home run for higher education!”
Governor Tim Pawlenty, April 11, 2005 just moments after signing the bonding bill.

Construction scheduled to begin August 2005

Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Cambridge Campus will begin construction of its 34,000 square foot addition to the Campus Center in August 2005. Once complete, the college will demolish its two pole-constructed buildings on the west side of county road 70. The $10.4 million capital request is part of the bonding bill signed by Governor Tim Pawlenty on April 11.

“The communities of East Central Minnesota, our students, our employees and our legislators, especially Representative Rob Eastlund and Senator Sean Neinow all pulled together to give this project the momentum it needed make its way to the Governor’s desk,” says Pat Johns, President of ARCC. “This project addresses the instructional priorities of the Cambridge Campus. As our curriculum changes to prepare students for competitive marketplace, the infrastructure also needs to change.

“The bottom line is, the Cambridge Campus capital project will strengthen students’ capacity to obtain a quality education.”

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College campus in Cambridge, Minn. will take on this new look after the 34,000 square foot addition is complete. This is an architectural depiction of what the campus will look like when viewing from the west.

The 23-year-old pole-constructed buildings set to be demolished were originally built for temporary use and now pose health and safety concerns. The college considered other options with this space but deferred maintenance costs would exceed the value of the buildings.

The 34,000 square foot addition will replace the space lost in the demolition but will not provide additional space. This addition will include computer labs, nursing labs and general classrooms, renovated science labs, and an improved technology infrastructure.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College employees and Governor Pawlenty celebrate the signing of the bonding bill that provides funding for a new building at the ARCC Cambridge Campus. Pictured from left are Dave Martin, Barbara Prince, Tim Pawlenty, Luanne Kane, Lynnette Brambrink, Mary Jacobson, and Michael Seymour.

The addition will also feature a large multi-purpose room available for community use as well as a large lecture hall.

Plans for future expansion to accommodate growth are already underway for the campus.

The architectural firm DLR Group, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minn., is leading the project. Interested contractors should contact Jon Crump at DLR Group. Project bids will be accepted this spring and construction is scheduled to begin in August 2005.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College will invite the community to celebrate the ground breaking near the start of construction in August. Details will be communicated as soon as they are available.

For additional information on the ARCC Cambridge Campus Building project, contact Michael Seymour, Vice President for Administration at 763-422-3430.

THE BONDING BILL
The ARCC Cambridge Campus project is just one of many projects that are part of the statewide bonding bill. This bill includes dozens of capital construction projects around the state including several for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) as well as the well-known Northstar commuter rail line.

ABOUT ANOKA-RAMSEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, with campuses in Cambridge and Coon Rapids, has been a leading provider of higher education and training in East Central Minnesota since 1978 and the north suburban area of Minneapolis/St. Paul since 1965. Annually, the college serves more than 9,000 learners of all ages as they pursue associate degrees that transfer as the first two years of a bachelor's degree, or certificate programs that lead immediately to rewarding careers. Anoka-Ramsey Community College is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.