Pierce College Fort Steilacoom will celebrate the grand opening of its first state-funded classroom building in 20 years at noon on Friday, Oct. 4.

The 24,827 square foot addition to the Olympic Building addition will eventually replace most of the space in the deteriorating 30-year-old portables that served the college since the 1970s.

The college is located at 9401 Farwest Drive S.W. in Lakewood.

The new construction has taken the environment into account and has made the most of natural light.

The new computer lab has improved ventilation to accommodate heat from the monitors and the flooring has been designed to allow easy reconfiguration.

There is even a room for faculty to experiment with using new technology in class.

Construction continues at the campus, with an additional 13,000 square feet being added to another portion of the pre-existing Olympic structure slated to be completed in the spring.