SanTanValley.com

MARICOPA, Ariz. - Central Arizona College is targeting mid-December for churning the first piles of dirt at its newest campus in the city of Maricopa.

The institution is tentatively planning a Dec. 16 groundbreaking ceremony on the site of the new campus location at White and Parker Road.

Early this year, CAC purchased 217 acres of land just east of the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and the Union Pacific rail line specifically to build a brand new campus.

The site sits adjacent to the future municipal complex location that will be built by the city of Maricopa.

"This is an exciting time for Central Arizona College," Dennis Jenkins, CAC's president/CEO, stated. "Constructing a new campus in the city of Maricopa gives CAC the ability to extend services into a growing community while at the same time becoming a key tenant in what is expected to become the city of Maricopa's government area."

The 25-year master plan for the campus will be able to accommodate more than 20,000 students on an annual basis with a gross square footage approaching 720,000 feet.

The orientation of the campus is toward the majestic Seven Mile Mountains and in the same direction where most of the residents of the community currently reside.

The facility will be far more than bricks and mortar configured into traditional rectangular buildings sectioned into classrooms. The architects have tapped into the rich history and culture of the area while enhancing the learning environment and ensuring accessibility.

Plans for the campus also promote community building among the student population as well as the residents of Maricopa. And, reducing CAC's carbon footprint on the community is a fundamental element in the design of the campus.

When construction commences in December on the initial building phase, students can expect to register for classes at the location beginning with the spring semester of 2013.

The first phase of the Maricopa campus will include three buildings totaling 76,837 gross square feet. It will feature classrooms, labs, an administration area, student services, offices for faculty, a learning center, common space, campus support and a library

At this time, the buildings have been designated A, B and C until future names have been decided.

Building A consists of 18,858 gross square feet and will house student services, administration and community rooms.

Building B is the largest of the first-phase construction and will be comprised of 26,174 gross square footage of space. The facility will feature a library, testing area, computer lab, learning center, ITV classrooms, faculty offices and the future dental hygiene program.

Building C has the second-most space of the initial construction project at 25,418 gross square feet. The building will house the culinary arts program with a kitchen and an adjacent cafeteria, as well as the bookstore, six 30-seat classrooms, and multiple teaching labs.

The Central Plant will be constructed first adjacent to the rest of the main campus buildings and will consist of 6,387 gross square feet.

To reduce the carbon footprint, CAC will harvest the natural light that will enable the institution to turn off lighting in buildings during the sunny midday hours.

The slanted direction of the roof and facing of the buildings will offer protection from the intense heat of the summer, while rammed earth technology used on the exterior walls will slow down the transfer of heat and cold from external sources to provide a more consistent temperature inside the buildings.

Although the location is generally referred to as the Maricopa campus, an official name has not been adopted at this time. CAC's three other campus locations are named after geographic formations relative to those regions - Aravaipa, Signal Peak and Superstition Mountain.