See inside the RMTC's new training space

Students and staff are moving in to the Kellogg Community College Regional Manufacturing Technology Center’s $2.75 million addition this month.

Assembly lines for the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Assembly Training program and machinery for its heating and cooling program were moved into the 8,400-square-foot space, which is divided into two rooms. The smaller room will be the home of electrical apprenticeship training.

College officials said the addition will be fully operational for the start of the fall semester.

The Battle Creek Tax Increment Finance Authority board agreed last summer to pay 61 percent of the project cost – up to $1.675 million. The rest of the project was to be paid for by the college.

The project also allowed the RMTC to expand its welding shop and made room in the older part of the building for forklift training and certification.

RMTC Director Tom Longman said the addition gives the center, which recently acquired $2.4 million of equipment, more space.

“It gives us a little bit more room to grow, to add new programming,” Longman said.

In a separate project, the RMTC will get $2.2 million in capital outlay funding from the state to renovate and upgrade the 26-year-old part of the building. That project is anticipated to cost $4.3 million, the balance of which will be paid for out of the college’s capital improvement property tax, which was renewed by voters in 2012.

Contact Safiya Merchant at 269-966-0684 or smerchant@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SafiyaMerchant