Bates Technical College will host a groundbreaking ceremony later this month to kick of construction of the new Advanced Technology Center. The two-story, 53,000-square-foot building will consist of a support wing and an instructional wing that will aim to accommodate student services, trade fairs, and other events that will encourage industry partners to use, interact with, and influence the programs, faculty, and students. The ceremony will be held on Tues., Mach 25, at 1:30 p.m. at  Bates Technical College’s Central/Mohler Campus, located at 2320 S. 19th St. Bates Technical College President Ron Langrell will join the Board of Trustees during the ceremony. Light refreshments will be served immediately following the event. More information about the project is available online at bates.ctc.edu/atc.

UPDATE — Weds., March 19, 2014 @ 11:36 a.m.

Bates Technical College adds the following via press release:

When completed, the building, designed by McGranahan Architects, will house student services and faculty offices, a library, Engineering and Information Technology career education programs, and the Digital Media program.

The $23 million building will include meeting spaces for events, trade shows and conferences, and is designed to meet silver certification standard from the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The new two-story construction will include a large studio lab, which will serve as an iconic element the public will be able to view from 19th Street.

The college purchased the property for its Central/Mohler Campus, home to KBTC Public Television and Pierce County Television, from KSTW in 2001. This is the second new building for the college since becoming part of the state’s community and technical college system in 1991, and the first since 2006, when Bates opened a 44,000 square foot building at South Campus.