SEARK construction OK’d by trustees’ vote

Southeast Arkansas College President Steven Bloomberg (left) and college board Chairman Rob Cheatwood proceed with a board meeting Thursday to approve plans for a new student center and residential hall. 
(Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Southeast Arkansas College President Steven Bloomberg (left) and college board Chairman Rob Cheatwood proceed with a board meeting Thursday to approve plans for a new student center and residential hall. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)

Southeast Arkansas College trustees Thursday approved a resolution allowing the school to begin construction of an estimated $37 million to $39 million student center and residential hall.

College President Steven Bloomberg told the board the project helps to “sustain” the two-year Pine Bluff school and reduce barriers many students face, including lack of transportation, food insecurity and a safe environment for studying and sleeping.

“Today is honestly the most important day in the history of our institution because this will transform the way we deliver our educational products and services,” Bloomberg said. “So, our student center gives us opportunities that we’ve never had before, and more importantly, it gives our students an opportunity to live on campus, study on campus, eat on campus and remove so many barriers that they encounter on a daily basis.” The P3 Group, a real estate development firm headquartered in Memphis, will sell the certificates of participation to finance the project. The firm will also design and build the 30,000-square-foot student center and 70,000-square-foot residential hall, which includes 158 two-bed units.

SEARK will contribute at least $8 million to the project with more funds being raised, Bloomberg said. The college received $3 million in American Recovery Plan funding from Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson to go toward the project.

Bloomberg is hopeful another announcement regarding a donation will be made by the end of this month.

“I think we need to thank the P3 Group for their outstanding efforts in helping guide us through this project,” Bloomberg said. “We also want to thank County Judge Gerald Robinson for the county’s generous commitment. Without both of those partners, we could not have done this.” D e e B row n , Th e P 3 Group’s CEO, said 100% of the net profits from the project will go toward the college, with part of the profits going into its operating budget and another part going toward scholarships.

“It’s a good feeling because we know that students that attend community college, they really want to have the same college experience that four-year universities offer,” Brown said, “but for varying circumstances … they elect to start their educational journeys at community colleges. So, this project is going to give, No. 1, SEARK a real boost in the arm in being able to attract students from all over the U.S. who come to the college and actually stay on campus and have the college experience. That’s something they didn’t have before.” Brown said school officials and contractors intend to break ground by April 2022 and complete the project by June 2023 with hopes of opening the center by the start of the following fall semester.

Bloomberg said he brought a vision for the project to the board more than two years ago, but he also credited the board with taking on the leadership of the vision.

“Without their vote, this project wouldn’t happen,” Bloomberg said. “So I give all of the thanks to the board for understanding the risk and understanding that this was a bigger risk if we didn’t do it,” Bloomberg said. “Eighty-five percent of our students come from within a 60-minute drive time. So that has always limited our ability to recruit students from, honestly, throughout the country. Now, today because of this action, we’ve removed that barrier.” Board Chairman Rob Cheatwood, who signed the motion to approve the resolution, said the facility will be one of the bigger changes to the school in its history, noting the school’s conversion from a technical college to a college in the 1990s.

“As we did our research and, me in particular, talked to several colleges that had [a similar project], they all spoke highly of the opportunities for the additional students that were brought in that opened up because of having on-site housing,” Cheatwood said.

 

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