Thanks to efforts of the Person County Board of Commissioners, Piedmont Community College (PCC) Board of Trustees and PCC leadership, along with support from Representative Ray Jeffers, PCC has closed on the Center for Health, Advanced Technology and Trades (CHATT) building.
The closing of CHATT marks another step towards the creation of a world-class workforce development training facility for the region. Located at 225 Crown Boulevard off U.S. 501 in Timberlake, North Carolina, the 91,000-square-foot facility formerly housed operations for Carolina Pride Carwash. CHATT will be the home to PCC’s health, advanced technology and trades programs.
“CHATT will allow our students to train for their future careers in a space that closely resembles the facilities they will be working in after graduation,” Dr. Pamela G. Senegal, president of PCC said. “I’m so grateful to each person who played a role in making this possible. CHATT will not only be a benefit to Person County, but it will benefit the surrounding areas as we train students who will go on to work in careers across the region.”
A request for quotes (RFQ) for design is currently underway through October 2024 with design anticipated to begin in November or December 2024. Construction on the facility is expected to begin in January 2025. PCC is currently in the bid process for exterior signage with installation projected to take place October-December 2024. In October 2024, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) classes will be the first to move to CHATT.
“I am very excited about the purchase of a building that will provide Piedmont Community College a new location for instruction in areas of high demand employment,” Gordon Powell, Chairman of the Person County Board of Commissioners said. “I am grateful to the current Board of Commissioners for their insight in providing funding for this project. In the early 1970s, some forward-thinking citizens supported efforts to bring the ‘Piedmont Technical College’ to Person County. Now, some 50 years later, a new phase of history has become a reality with Commissioners providing strong leadership to make this happen. The CHATT facility will provide much needed instruction for our workforce well into the future. The insight and subsequent decision by Commissioners to make this purchase moves PCC forward and provides a world-class educational facility in Person County, which is necessary for future growth and economic development.”
“I commend Dr. Pamela Senegal and PCC’s Board for their part in this new chapter of Person County’s history,” Powell continued. “It is only through such cooperation and collaboration that such projects come to fruition. When we join together for the benefit of all, good things happen.”
“CHATT will be a welcomed addition to our community and the triangle region,” Representative Ray Jeffers said. “Empowering individuals through skill and opportunity, this new workforce development center will be the gateway to a brighter future and a stronger community.”
A community welcome and ribbon cutting is being planned and will be scheduled for January 2025. Visit www.piedmontcc.edu/chatt for more information and updates about CHATT.
Photos from June 2024 site visit.
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