Don't overlook this multi-billion-dollar marketplace

The flood of new students has created severe growing pains. Some community colleges are passing bond packages to help fund a mixture of both new construction and rehab work on existing structures.

Brazosport College passed a $70 million bond election last November to fund a 10-year facilities expansion. The first phase, worth $18.5 million, includes funding for labs, classrooms, lecture halls and department offices at the health professions and science technology complex.

Phase two is set for 2011, when $24.5 million will be used for a multipurpose academic center and office expansion. Another $16.4 million is allocated for a new library. Expansion of the student center will begin in 2014. Digital media will be integrated as well.

Residents of the Angelina College district approved a $16.5 million bond program to expand its nursing program. Funding will be used to construct a 30,000-square foot Health Careers building. Other projects include adding a new parking lot, building a 5,000-square-foot campus store, relocating the baseball field to a new softball/baseball complex and renovating the existing Health Careers and administration building.

In Amarillo, voters approved a $68.3 million bond proposal. The schedule calls for the projects to be under construction as soon as this summer. Included for one of the district's campuses is $28 million in expenditures for a new state-of-the-art Science Laboratory. Funding is allocated also for renovation of classrooms and faculty offices, updated classroom technology, utility upgrades and infrastructure repairs. Another $16 million was set aside at a second campus for a new Health Sciences Building, upgrades to equipment and technology and renovations and updates to existing buildings. A third campus is benefitting from $4.5 million for facility updates and HVAC upgrades while a $2 million earmark for a fourth campus is for a new multipurpose facility.

Community college experts predict more bond elections are likely to be called in November as more campuses face a "facilities crunch," particularly in areas where there is large population growth.

New buildings call for technology, security, professional services, furniture, floor coverings, equipment, parking facilities and landscaping.

The Texas Association of Community Colleges predicts it will take $11 billion in new facilities to meet the state's projected enrollment goals. A marketplace this big should not be overlooked.