New elevator unveiled at local Northeast State campus
Published 6:29 pm Friday, March 9, 2018
- Star Photo/Curtis Carden Expansion at the Northeast Tennessee Community College – Elizabethton campus was highlighted Friday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new elevator to help with further growth and ADA compliance at the facility. The elevator was paid for by Carter County Tomorrow.
For one local economic development group, the investment was worth the reward.
The Northeast State Community College Elizabethton campus received a new resource Friday afternoon in the form of a new elevator to allow second floor access of their facility. The campus is housed in the first floor of Workforce Development Complex.
While Carter County owns the Complex, it is leased to Carter County Tomorrow (CCT) – an economic development group within the community. The cost of the elevator, covered by CCT, was at roughly $154,000. Now with access for the second floor of the facility, the option of expansion is now available.
“This will open up opportunities for Northeast State to expand and makes the facility ADA compliant,” said Richard Tester, Carter County Tomorrow chairman. “This gives the campus a chance to expand for more educational opportunities in our community. That has been our motivation and our passion for this project. With a six-figure investment, this is something we aren’t taking lightly.”
Col. James Cline, Northeast State chief financial officer, was also on hand for the ceremony. Tester added that CCT is looking forward to working with Col. Cline and the community college to enhance the resources at the facility.
Another program coming through the pipeline is a business-incubator of sorts offered by CCT. Even though an official announcement is expected in the coming weeks, initial reports indicate the Workforce Development Complex will house a business incubator and training area of sorts for individuals in the community looking to start-up a business.
“All of those are pieced together when it comes to economic development,” Tester said. “We want to help educate those that are coming straight out of high school or those trying to get into trade with TCAT right across the road from us. All that comes together to open up opportunities for the entrepreneurs in our community.
“I think it’s going to be slow and methodical. But if we invest now, we’ll see some fruits from the labor in the future,” he added.
