The demolition of one of Aiken Technical College’s oldest buildings has begun.
Building 500/600 is the first of two campus buildings that will be demolished this spring. It was among the first buildings constructed on the campus in the 1970s. Over the years, it has housed programs such as automotive, machine tool technology, industrial maintenance technology, radiation protection technology, electronics engineering and criminal justice. The building was last used during the 2018-2019 academic year, according to a news release from Aiken Tech.
The next demolition process is expected to begin in late April for neighboring Building 400. There are also plans to demolish a third and adjacent structure, Building 300, in the near future.
“Last year, the college celebrated its 50th anniversary. It was an important milestone that allowed us to reflect on our accomplishments while imagining what the future of the college would look like,” said Aiken Tech President Forest E. Mahan, Ph.D. “Removing the buildings that have served their purpose and are no longer in use opens the door for us to explore ways the space can be repurposed to help the college meet our community’s needs for another 50 years.”
One of the future projects for the college includes constructing a new Nursing Education Center.
“The exact campus location of the future center has yet to be determined, but we are considering various options,” Mahan said. “The Nursing Education Center will enable us to provide the space needed to help address the growing nursing shortage in our region and state.”
Aiken Tech expects the planning phase for the Nursing Education Center to last through 2023 and to have a groundbreaking in early 2024. Once construction commences, the process is expected to take about 18 months.
