Work continues on new buildings, improvements at Mat-Su College

PALMER — Any day now Mat-Su College should be getting detailed drawings of the theater it intends to construct over the next year and a half.

The $20 million theater project is scheduled for completion in early 2014. Last year, the University of Alaska Anchorage picked Kumin Associates Inc. to design the building.

“The Valley Center for Arts and Learning is hopefully going to be used by campus and community,” said Mat-Su College director Talis Colberg. “What we’ll be able to do is bring entertainment, lectures and presentations into the multi-use facility.”

Colberg said he hopes the theater is a resource to the community as well as a center on campus. Currently, Mat-Su College has nowhere to bring together more than about 100 people. The cafeteria is its largest meeting space available.

The new theater will provide a space for large lectures and performances, as well as gatherings like freshmen orientation. The college has nearly 2,000 students enrolled for the fall semester, Colberg said.

Part of the theater is a drama lab and storage for instruments. Colberg said the college will hire someone to direct the community usage of the theater.

“The Valley community will have an opportunity to come to campus and see the theater. Most people don’t come here unless they’re students.”

And that’s not the only construction project under way at the college.

Snodgrass Hall is expanding to add a wing for medical students. The new $3.5 million addition will allow the nursing program to double the number of students it can accept. For students in the paramedic program, the expansion will provide an ambulance bay, allowing for training with emergency vehicles. Old medical instruction classrooms can become offices for staff.

Construction began on that project this summer. The plan is to have the programs move into their new digs in time for the spring semester.

Last, but not least, the campus is working on a project to get its water from the city of Palmer.

The city of Palmer exchanged land with the college. Construction has begun to put the college on the city water system. The campus will also add extra parking.