The new site for the Marshall Community and Technical College's new facility will provide both visibility and flexibility.
The Marshall University Board of Governors look to purchase the used car lot on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 20th Street and the Faith Methodist Church parking lot for the Marshall Community and Technical College's new location.
"The community college is scattered all over campus," Menis Ketchum, board of governors chairman, said. "It deserves a building to house it."
The Marshall Community and Technical College is currently housed in many areas around campus such as Corbly Hall, Harris Hall and Cabell Hall. Ketchum said the new facility would put the college in one central location.
Robert Hayes, interim president of the Marshall Community and Technical College, said the two key factors in deciding on the location were visibility and flexibility.
"I was looking for visibility so the college could be visible as a free standing institution," Hayes said.
Hayes said the initial plan was to tear down the current Marshall Community and Technical College building and Laidley Hall and expanded toward Third Avenue. That plan was canceled because of the lack of visibility for the college.
The new facility will house all of the Marshall Community and Technical College's programs, except the counting education program and the allied health program.
Ketchum said the Board of Governors also is in the exploratory phases of looking at property in Putnam County for the Community and Technical College.
The Board of Governors approved a motion Feb. 9 to purchase the Beachyard Apartments on Fifth Avenue and houses on Buffington Avenue, which is the alley between Sixth and Seventh Avenues.
Ketchum said the goal is to have the property acquired before August 1.
Hayes said the new location will allow the Marshall Community and Technical College to expand.
"This new facility will make the community college grow," Hayes said.
Rachel Coffman can be contacted at coffman17@marshall.edu.
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