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Crews are constructing a trades education facility at Oregon Coast Community College‘s campus in Newport.

The 22,000-square-foot Oregon Coast Advanced Technology & Trades (OCATT) Center is expected to cost approximately $30 million, according to Dave Price, vice president of engagement at the college. Officials are drawing money from a $33 million bond approved by Lincoln County voters in May 2024 as well as an $8 million contribution from the state approved by the Oregon Legislature.

The project team consists of architect partners GLAS Architects of Eugene and Hacker, civil engineer Mazzetti, structural engineer KPFF, and general contractor Lease Crutcher Lewis.

Staffers in the OCATT Center will provide hands-on training in construction and carpentry, HVAC systems, welding, industrial facility maintenance, and maritime technology. Also, pre-apprenticeship programs will be expanded from once a year to year-round.

Although the college currently has 16 workspaces at its Port of Toledo welding lab, it does not have sufficient linear space for pipe fitting instruction. The new building will fill that void.

Construction/carpentry will be a new program for the college.

鈥淭here’s some interesting things happening in the local high schools that we’re working very closely with (Lincoln County) School District so that we’re not being duplicative, and we’re building on what they’re doing,鈥� Price said.

The OCATT Center will have four primary workspaces: a build lab, a mechanical lab, an electronic lab, and a 鈥渄irty build鈥� lab for metalwork, welding and work on diesel engines. The build lab will have a wet area for aquaculture work tied to the Aquarium Science building.

Spaces in the OCATT Center will be able to accommodate a variety of uses. The plan is for programming to shift according to the changing market demands of the area, Price said, so the spaces can be used for decades.

鈥淔lexibility has been crucial from day one when we pitched this as a proposal to the voters,鈥� he said.

Oregon Coast Community College also may adjust its programming in consideration of what’s being offered at other coastal colleges.

鈥淲hen Tillamook Bay or Clatsop rolls out a new program or another new facility that their taxpayers provide, we want to be mindful of the fact that we don’t want to all be competing in the same space,鈥� Price said.

Future programming in Newport could include aquaculture, maritime welding, commercial diving and welding, and more. College officials do not want to pursue a new program if there is not at least 10 years of potential capacity for businesses in the region to hire those students so they can leverage their education into good paying jobs, Price said.

The OCATT Center will be able to receive a lot of natural light through glazing at both the front and back. The exterior building material will be metal siding with slate green chevrons in a random design. Exposed mass timber will jut out under the roofline, as well as in the interior space. The inside will also feature white walls.

鈥淚t’s not going to be kind of dark and metal inside like what you might expect for an industrial building,鈥� Price said. 鈥淲e really want this to be a bright, modern learning space.鈥�

A roll-up glass door will allow space for a truck to enter or a boat to be dropped off inside. That will let students work indoors on large vehicles or vessels.

The new facility will be across from the Aquarium Science building. The two buildings’ roof lines will slope down toward each other, Price said.

Construction of the OCATT Center is under way. In November and December, the lot was cleared and graveled. Trenching has been ongoing. Last week, workers started pouring foundations and footings, and walls will not be far behind, Price said.

The facility is expected to open in fall 2027.