By Theodore Geigle
The Scene staff
Chancellor Jeff Pittman has revealed some of the massive changes that officials are considering for St. Louis Community College campuses, including Forest Park.
A College Transformation Steering Committee has been meeting and brainstorming ideas for demolitions, renovations and construction of new buildings, Pittman told STLCC Board of Trustees members at their Oct. 21 meeting.
“We’re kind of limited with demo at Forest Park because there is this entity called the Cultural Preservation Board that really is in love with the design of Forest Park, and we learned all about that when we tried to take down (A and B towers). But we got it done.
“The hospitality management center, which is where culinary arts is located, is not part of the original Harry Weese design, and that one’s kind of a sitting duck to take down. Also, we have buildings we really shouldn’t keep (and that we should) sell or do something with, like the Art Annex building … and the Highland Park building.”
Weese was a well-known, Chicago-based architect who designed the Forest Park campus with his brother, Ben. They specialized in 20th century modernism and promoted historic preservation.
College transformation efforts are the result of Proposition R, which STLCC district voters approved in the April election. It will increase property taxes to allow for a $350 million bond issue to upgrade and modernize facilities.
“(The list of potential projects) aren’t complete,” Pittman said at the board meeting. “This is just kind of the start. But you’ll start to get the impression of things that we’re doing.”
Pittman devoted a section of his PowerPoint presentation to potential changes on the Forest Park campus.
- Hospitality Studies Center. Pittman didn’t specify where culinary arts classes would go or what would be done with the land if the Hospitality Studies Center was demolished.
- Art Annex and Highland Park building. Pittman didn’t say where ceramics and sculpture classes would be moved if the college sold the Art Annex.
- Automotive and related programs. Pittman discussed the idea of constructing a new building to house automotive technology, diesel technology, logistics and truck driving. He pointed to a national shortage of truck drivers.
- Greenspace and light boxes. Pittman said the new building could be constructed just south of the new Center for Nursing and Health Sciences. That would require cutting down trees, remove landscaping and relocating the giant “Light Walls” sculpture installed last year.
- Child-care center. Earlier this year, officials announced plans to renovate parts of the P.E. building to make room for a child-care center, using CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act) grant money. That plan is now on hold.
- Softball field. Pittman said it now would make more sense to build a child-care center where the softball field is located. A proposal has been sent to the Missouri Department of Economic and Social Information, which is administering the CARES Act grant.
- LPN program and more labs. Pittman mentioned that officials would like to add a licensed practical nursing program, as well as more science labs. The LPN program would be a one-year “pipeline” to the registered nursing program.
- Student success centers. Another goal brought up by Pittman was establishing student success centers on is STLCC campuses. Each would include a welcome center, student life center, multicultural center and resource center.
To watch the STLCC Board of Trustees meeting, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK1-bqKaxZs
