CCV to make former Woodbury College building its headquarters
|
|
Toolbox
By Susan Allen Times Argus Editor - Published: November 11, 2008
MONTPELIER – The Community College of Vermont today will announce an agreement to buy the Woodbury College building in Montpelier, moving its administrative headquarters to Woodbury's Elm Street campus as early as June.
"I think it's a great outcome for everybody," said CCV President Timothy Donovan, who declined to disclose the purchase price pending the signing by week's end of the purchase and sales agreement. At that time, Donovan said, the price would be disclosed.
The closing is expected to take place at the end of December.
The purchase plan was approved by the Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees in late October; it has also been approved by the Woodbury board, Donovan said.
Under the proposal, CCV will move its administrative headquarters from Waterbury to the Woodbury College campus by the end of June.
"That's over 30 employees we'll be bringing to the city of Montpelier," Donovan noted.
In several years, CCV plans to move its Montpelier classes to the Elm Street building as well, although that will require the construction of an addition to the building and completion of the existing lease agreement for classroom space at Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier, he said.
Donovan said he got the idea for the move after hearing of Woodbury College's decision to merge with Champlain College in Burlington, moving its academic programs to that campus and calling itself the Woodbury Institute at Champlain College.
The CCV purchase brings to four the number of buildings that the community college will own since the Vermont State Colleges Board granted the community college authority four years ago to buy rather than lease space. Donovan said purchasing makes sense because it is more affordable to own facilities rather than to lease.
CCV now owns space in White River Junction and St. Albans, and is building a facility in Winooski. Donovan said CCV hopes to eventually buy space in Rutland, as well; the school currently leases space on Evelyn Street.
CCV is one of the five Vermont State Colleges. The school has 12 "learning centers" around the state and enrollment of about 9,000 students. There are roughly 600 students in the Montpelier learning center, Donovan said.
While the Woodbury College campus can accommodate CCV's administrative and teaching staff, additional space will be required before the students can move onto campus for classes, Donovan said.
Montpelier Mayor Mary Hooper said she is pleased with the agreement. "The City of Montpelier is delighted that Community College of Vermont will continue to make Montpelier its home," she said in a statement. "We think the Woodbury Campus, as well as the community of Montpelier, is a great fit for this important institution and look forward to welcoming CCV employees into town as well as continuing to host CCV students."
The CCV headquarters had been located in Montpelier until about 1985 when it moved to Waterbury. "This is like coming home," Donovan said.
14