FORKS — Peninsula College will begin work on a new Forks campus today, when a key-exchange ceremony takes place at 2 p.m.
Carrol Lunsford of Lunsford Real Estate and Property Management officially will present the key to the former Bank of America building to Peninsula College President Luke Robins at the building site at 481 S. Forks Ave.
Once the college has control of the property, renovations will begin.
Classes will move into the new location in early 2014, said Phyllis Van Holland, Peninsula College spokeswoman.
The new location will replace the current Forks Extension classrooms in a former hardware store at 71 S. Forks Ave.
The purchase of the building follows several years of searching for a larger facility in Forks, Van Holland said.
“This is exciting news for both Peninsula College and the West End. We’re looking forward to opening our new site because it means that we will be able to expand our educational offerings and increase our workforce training efforts,” Robins said in a statement.
“It will also help us to be able to adapt more quickly to the changing needs of the community and provide better access for local tribes.”
Peninsula College received $1,307,114 in grant funding in June from the state Department of Commerce for energy efficiency upgrades at the new Forks site, and the budget request for the purchase and renovation is $2 million.
The exact purchase price of the Bank of America building was not available Monday.
McKinstry of Seattle/ESCO and Energy Performance Contracting won contracts to work on the project.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.