TEMPLE, Texas (FOX 44) – Temple College celebrated the grand opening of its new Workforce & Visual Arts Building on Friday.
The College says this marks a major milestone in its mission to expand high-tech workforce training and enrich visual arts programs. The 70,000-square-foot facility is located along West Avenue U, between 1st and 5th Streets, and is one of several projects funded by the $124.9 million bond approved by Temple voters in 2021.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and welcomed several hundred guests – including Temple College administrators, faculty, staff, students, state and civic leaders, business representatives, architects, developers, corporate partners and community donors.
The College says its Workforce & Visual Arts Building features four advanced technology training bays with attached computer labs dedicated to:
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Construction, electromechanical engineering technology, precision agriculture and safety technology
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CADD, semiconductor technician training, water reclamation and precision agriculture
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Semiconductor technician training and water reclamation
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Integrated robotics and automated manufacturing, global logistics and artificial intelligence
Additional amenities include an art gallery named in honor of longtime art professor Michael Donahue, as well as multiple computer labs, art studios, classrooms, meeting rooms, and faculty and staff offices. The studio spaces support a wide range of creative disciplines, including 3D art, photography, ceramics, painting and woodworking.
The College says Stantec designed the Workforce & Visual Arts Building along with several other major Temple College projects, including the Campus Services Center, renovations to the Dental and Surgical Technology facilities, the Health Sciences Center, and the soon-to-open Temple College Main Building. Cloud Construction Company, based in Temple, serves as the general contractor for all of these campus projects.
The building’s completion was made possible through the generosity of numerous individual and corporate donors.
According to Temple College, Friday’s celebration featured remarks from:
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Christy Ponce, President of Temple College
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Lydia Santibanez-Farrell, Chair of the Temple College Board of Trustees
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Tim Davis, Mayor of Temple
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Adrian Cannady, President & CEO, Temple Economic Development Corporation
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Drayton McLane, Jr., Philanthropist and Chairman of McLane Group
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State Representative Hillary Hickland
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Jessica Diem, representing State Representative Brad Buckley
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Staff representing State Senator Pete Flores
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Richard Rhoades, President of Texas A&M University–Central Texas
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Susan Guzman-Trevino, Temple College Provost and Vice President of Academic & Student Services
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Amy Holze, Stantec Architecture
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Perry Cloud, Cloud Construction
The College says with its combination of state-of-the-art labs and vibrant creative spaces, the Workforce & Visual Arts Building embodies its commitment to preparing students for emerging career fields while fostering a thriving arts community.
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