Asnuntuck Community College Breaks Ground on Technology Center

ENFIELD, Conn. — Asnuntuck Community College celebrated the groundbreaking of the new 27,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center building on July 20. When completed in spring 2017, the facility will include smart classrooms as well as laboratories dedicated to computing, 3-D printing, machining and metrology. The project’s architect is Moser Pilon Nelson Architects of Wethersfield, Conn.

The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center building will eventually house Asnuntuck Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Program, which prepares students for careers in manufacturing by providing classroom instruction and computer and hands-on training in a laboratory environment. The new facility, together with existing spaces, will grow the department to 50,000 square feet and help better facilitate the state’s Advanced Manufacturing Initiative.

Speaking to a crowd of students, faculty and supporters at the groundbreaking, Asnuntuck Community College President James Lombella said that the facility will address the continued need to provide the region with a skilled workforce, according to a statement by the college. “At Asnuntuck, we not only own the responsibility of delivering a quality in education in North Central Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, we take great pride in creating leaders and graduates who enter the world and make a difference,” Lombella said.

“This new facility provides our students with state of the art technology, resources and the environment they need and deserve to continue to succeed,” added Connecticut State College and University President Mark Ojakian said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The exterior portion of the single-story, steel-framed building will be constructed using insulated precast concrete panels that have the outward appearance of limestone. Partial applied anodized metal panels and exterior metal louvered sun shading trellis will also be included in the exterior design. Meanwhile, the building’s interior will feature a polished exposed concrete floor and both acoustical ceiling tiles and exposed painted ceilings. The project has been estimated at $10 million.

Campus construction isn’t just confined to the new Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, however, as the college will also be expanding existing facilities, adding a new conference center, internet café and meeting spaces for student organizations, according to the college’s website. This project will span nearly 63,000 square feet, with a new 170,000-square-foot roof covering. The project should be completed within the next two years.