New AWC building due to be in full operation by January

That shiny silver building being constructed at the Arizona Western College is expected to be in full operation by January.

The new AWC building is touted as containing state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and instructional technology. Bill Smith, director of facilities planning and management at Arizona Western College, offered a tour of the new facilities for invited guests Wednesday afternoon.

Guests toured the science and agriculture building, the child development learning lab and the College Community Center. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony is yet to be scheduled.

The AWC Facilities Master Plan has been in development for about seven years, and the whole project is about 90 percent complete, said Smith.

The greenhouse at the science and agriculture center is all computer driven and Internet based. The greenhouse, which sits on 3,000 square feet of land, is divided into three cells in which temperatures can be manipulated separately.

"If you are in charge of it and you are given authorization, you can be in China and control this greenhouse," Smith said. "We're excited to see to what we are going to be able to do with this."

Another feature of the science and agriculture center is the tractor lab in conjunction with a lecture lab demonstration classroom. Inside the lab, the top layer of the floor has a reactive agent in it called microband, and any kind of live specimen that falls on it will die on contact, Smith said.

The child development learning lab is already up and running. The multipurpose building contains classrooms for students learning child development, child care for faculty and staff and a playground for children. "A lot of planning went into this," Smith.

The College Community Center - also known as the "one-stop shop" - will centralize errands that students need to run when they are applying to the school. Students will be able to register, fill out financial aid, get counseling or buy their books. A Starbucks coffee spot will also open inside the facility, and a large dining room will be available for students.

The community base section features a conference room that can be used for weddings, conferences, meetings, dances, etc.

Smith said that numerous contributions have been brought into this project and it will give a good impact to the community. "It's going to change a lot of people's lives."

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Stephanie Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@yumasun.com or 539-6847.