By TARA SULLIVAN
Chronicle correspondent
The Lone Star College System is thinking bigger and greener.
The LSCS Board of Trustees has announced plans to start campus expansions at LSC-Montgomery and the new LSC-Aldine Center, the first projects in a $420 million line-up. The college is currently negotiating a construction contract with Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc., of Houston for LSC-Montgomery. Current estimates detail a $78 million face lift for the campus, which include three new buildings; a science and health building, arts center and bi-level instructional classroom facility.
The Science and Health Building will be a 60,000-square-foot metal structure; the Arts Instructional Building will be a 20,000-square-foot one-story performing arts center with teaching and practice rooms; and the Classroom Building will be a two-story 75,000-square-foot structure.
Houston-based Perspectiva has been enlisted to design the new LSC-Aldine Center for $800,000. The LSC-Aldine Center will be a 50,000-square-foot hub for workforce and academic preparation situated on 17 acres of land near the Aldine area. The purchase for the property was completed in September for $1.8 million.
LSCS Board members said they envision the center as a central community asset for GED, ESL and college-preparatory programs, as well as trade skill education in areas such as welding, heating and cooling, and various aspects of construction.
Board Chancellor Richard Carpenter said current enrollment at a all LSCS campuses is up more than 15 percent from last year, indicating the need for such expansion. The college system is now second largest in Texas and ranks first for production of associates degrees in Texas. Nationally, LSCS ranks 16th in production of associates degrees.
Board members also announced the enlistment of Johnson Controls to help fulfill energy requirements set for by Senate Bill 12, passed Sept. 1, 2007, which requires public colleges and universities to reduce their energy usage by 5 percent each year through 2013. Johnson Controls has helped other Houston area colleges, including Baytown’s Lee College, where the Board of Trustees report that energy-reducing light fixtures, light sensors, solar window film, high-efficiency toilets and urinals, “smart” vending machines and computer controls currently save the institution $716,433 annually.
Although longterm funding for Energy Management Performance Projects at LSCS has not been secured, the Board approved the sale of maintenance tax notes to get the projects started while funding in the meantime. Similar to voter-approved bonds, the maintenance tax notes do carry a debt service, but savings estimates from the Energy Management Performance Projects themselves cover the entire debt service. Overall, this method saves the school more than $7 million in expenses related to financing these projects