THREE BLINN BRENHAM CAMPUS PROJECTS LOOKED AT BY BOARD

  

Three renovation and expansion projects on the Brenham campus of Blinn College were identified as pressing needs during last (Tuesday) night’s meeting of the Blinn College Board of Trustees.

Blinn administrators told the Blinn Board that renovations to the Brenham Campus Student Center and the W.L. Moody Library, and an expansion of the W. J. “Bill” Rankin Agricultural Complex would be the best uses of $4.5 million in remaining 2016 bond funds.  Each of the three proposed projects would cost $1.5 million.

The Student Center renovations would include additional food serving areas and kitchen equipment upgrades inside the building.  It would also include green space, lighting, landscaping, and courtyard seating for students adjacent to the Student Center.

Renovations at Moody Library would modernize the facility, which was built in 1967 and expanded in 1981.  The project would include a revised collection space, reworked library spaces for modernized study environments, technology upgrades, updated furnishings, and air conditioning, heating and lighting upgrades.

The Rankin Center would be expanded with the addition of a 6000 square foot livestock classroom building.  It would include classroom space, a tack room, a farrowing house, livestock pens and a livestock chute for use by the College’s Agriculture Program.  The Ag Program has seen a 14 percent growth in student enrollment this fall.  The expansion would allow 10 to 15 additional course sections to be taught each semester, including the addition of new livestock handling courses.

The $4.5 million is the amount remaining to be spent from $48.6 million in 2015 and 2016 revenue bonds.  $44.1 million of that total was spent on capital improvement projects in Brazos County.