By Bob Bouyea
bbouyea@scbiznews.com
Published Aug. 18, 2010

Central Carolina Technical College has something that few, if any, other colleges have. The college’s new Health Science Center in downtown Sumter opened for the 2010-2011 school year, which starts Aug. 23.

What makes this building unique is that it was built specifically for the technology it houses, said Neal Crotts, Central Carolina Technical College’s director of public relations.

In early 2006, the city of Sumter passed a resolution giving the college the vacant Western Auto building and the land located on Sumter’s Main Street. Since the school needed more space for its nursing and other health programs, it decided to develop a health science center in that space.

“Our old facility was too small; our faculty had offices in rooms originally designed as closets,” Crotts said.

The building now houses its diploma programs, including the registered nurse and licensed practical nurse programs, medical assisting and surgical technology. Its certificate programs housed there include medical records coding, massage therapy, health science prep, pre-dental, pre-occupational/physical therapy assistant, pre-pharmacy technician and phlebotomy.

The school spent $13.5 million to renovate the 60,000-square-foot building and equip the space. Approximately $10 million came from the state and federal governments. An additional $1.7 million came from the Duke Endowment, and $1.5 million came from the Economic Development Association of Greater Sumter. The college put up the balance of the money, Crotts said.

Read more about this in the Aug. 23 edition of the Columbia Regional Business Report.