The Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees met in special session Tuesday to approve the Program Document for the Community Technology Center and to authorize architects to proceed with the schematic design, the next step in the college's $30 million construction project.

In the planning stages for years, the CTC has been designed to accommodate four primary IVCC programs: Career and Technical; Community Education and Business Training; Adult Education; and Student Services. The new two-story building's total size is now planned for 75,995 square feet and will be connected to buildings C and F on the east side.

During Tuesday's meeting, the trustees voted to authorize Basalay, Cary & Alstadt Architects of Ottawa, the college's architect of record, to complete the schematic design which includes actual floor plans, more detailed cost estimates, necessary surveys and various mechanical system recommendations.

Geothermal heating, depending on future evaluations, is under consideration for the new structure.

Architect Paul Basalay told the board the schematic design work would "tighten up" the engineering details of the building necessary to formulate the final construction plans for contractors. He said the design work would take "about two months to complete" and will focus on the finer details of the building's interior.

Dominick Demonica from Demonica Kemper Architects in Chicago, who is also involved in the expansion project, narrated a power-point presentation for the trustees which detailed various aspects of the project. Designed to give the board visual templates of the building, the presentation showed various components of the facility and how the center will function and look once completed.

The board and the architects discussed what issues must be resolved before officials from the Illinois Capital Development Board come to the campus to review construction documents and cost estimates. IVCC board chair Dennis Thompson said he understood that the CDB would ultimately dictate the project's schedule but he plans to keep the project on "the fast track."

Basalay said the CDB review could be quite lengthy and the board should be prepared to answer their inquiries about the project. The architect said state officials will also need to know what the board plans to do with existing buildings and areas freed up by the new building.

Keeping in line with the IVCC Master Plan passed in 2006, the trustees discussed which buildings might be demolished during and following the CTC construction and what programs might benefit from moving into the space available in existing buildings once the CTC is completed.

Basalay said the master plan should be used as a guide which could help direct the future of the physical college campus.

Thompson told board members during the preliminary discussion of how to "backfill" the available campus space that such issues must be resolved soon to insure proper continuation of the entire project. Trustees agreed to gather input from administration officials, instructors, even students on how best to utilize the space.

Thompson said to help keep the decision-making process on track, IVCC board vacancies were "expected to be filled in the very near future."

The chair concluded the meeting with a detailed photo report of a recent exploratory walk he made with staff members on the slopes which surround the campus. They made a cursory examination of the CTC site and other areas to "see first hand" what possible drainage and soil erosion issues that may become future concerns.

Thompson reported several aging structures which handle storm water runoff were located on the hike and each appeared to be in working order.