Hillsborough Community College is seeking a major financial commitment from state lawmakers this year.
The thriving Hillsborough County institution with a multitude of campuses and four-year college programs is requesting $41.5 million from the Legislature to expand programs, fund the design and construction of two new buildings, and address critical maintenance issues across the college's district.
The list of HCC priorities is as followed:
- $23 million for the construction of a new Allied Health Building on the HCC Dale Mabry campus. The new building will house HCC Nursing, Emergency Medical Services and Respiratory Care programs and will be designed and equipped to include a simulation suite that will mirror a hospital setting. The state has already set aside $3 million for planning, design and engineering work for the project.
- $15 million for district deferred maintenance projects that have been deemed critical to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff. The money would be used to cover a wide range of projects, including replacing the roofs on eight buildings, fire alarm panels, elevator repairs and upgrades, and access control for exterior doors throughout the district.
- $3 million for planning, designing and engineering for a Workforce Transitions Center on the HCC SouthShore campus. The center will focus on pathways into high-demand, high-wage careers and provide expansion space for admissions, registration, advising and testing. The building also will contain a new campus Veterans Center, support for the HCC Lennard Collegiate Academy, multipurpose classroom spaces, and a large group space for community and college use.
- $500,000 to launch phase one of a two-phase project titled Apprenticeship Tampa Bay. The program will focus on future workforce needs in the building and construction trades industry and new occupational areas such as health sciences and manufacturing. Phase one will address immediate training capacity needs by increasing enrollment, expanding employer partnerships, and upgrading equipment.
- The acquisition of properties next to the Dale Mabry campus from the state Department of Juvenile Justice to accommodate the long-term growth of the college's largest campus.
HCC serves more than 45,000 students annually on campuses on North Dale Mabry Highway and Ybor City in Tampa and in Brandon, Plant City and Ruskin.
