Grant helps transform old factory into high-tech learning center

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: November 26, 2008

Morganton --

Burke County will get some help to pay for the Foothills Allied Health Higher Education Center.
County officials received word that it was awarded a $350,000 grant from Golden LEAF Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit corporation that was created after a master settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers, according to the foundation.
Dan Gerlach, president of the foundation, said the foundation was working from a pool of about $10 million for grants. However, there were $113 million worth of those seeking grants, he said.
"It was incredibly competitive," Gerlach said.
Gerlach said the foundation was impressed with the project in Burke County because of the work between several universities and Western Piedmont Community College and the broad community support.
He said it's interesting that a former place that used to employ people will help create more jobs.
County Manager Ron Lewis said the money from Golden LEAF will go toward upfitting the building to make the classrooms as 21st Century as it can be, with as much state-of-the-art technology as possible.
In addition to the grant from Golden LEAF, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the N.C. Department of Community Colleges each has committed to $1 million grants and Blue Ridge HealthCare has committed to a $350,000 grant.
There is another possibility of a grant from Appalachian Regional Commission, Lewis said.
The cost of the project is about $13 million.
Renovations on the old Doblin manufacturing building are under way.
Carson Fisher, general services manager for the county, said work on the building is on schedule.
Fisher said construction on the building is about 30 percent complete. A retaining wall for additional parking is done; most of the stud walls on both floors in the building are done; and duct and electrical work is close to being completed, he said. About 70 percent of the roof work is complete, Fisher said. The roof work alone, he said, will cost close to $1 million.
"I think the project is coming along quite well," Fisher said.
Work on the building should wrap up in late May or early June, Fisher said.

Grant helps transform old factory into high-tech learning center

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