McCarthy Breaks Ground on West-MEC Northwest Campus in Surprise, Ariz.
McCarthy broke ground on a $12.9 million new construction project for Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC) in conjunction with SPS+ Architects and Architechnology. The West-MEC Northwest Campus project, which will be located on the southwest corner of Dysart Road and Grand Avenue in Surprise, Ariz., will serve approximately 200 students when it opens in fall 2017.
The first phase of construction began this month and will be completed in summer 2017. Phase I includes a 42,000-square-foot building, which will include administrative offices and classroom space. The Northwest Campus will offer a variety of certification programs preparing students for careers in IT Security; Law, Public Safety and Security; Medical Assisting; Physical Therapy and Cosmetology.
There are three other phases of this project depending, in part, on the results from a bond election that will be on the ballot this November. A portion of the $141 million building bond would add programs such as Automotive Technology, Energy and Industrial Technology, Medium/Heavy Diesel and Pharmacy Technician. Future phases also include a gathering space for the community for up to 300 people.
“Since our inception, West-MEC has envisioned a campus in this area of our community. As promised in our initial bond election, we are excited to bring this first phase and these outstanding career pathways to the Northwest portion of West-MEC’s district,” said West-MEC Superintendent Gregory J. Donovan. “As our communities grow and prosper, so does the need for a well-prepared workforce. This is our opportunity to assist in the growth and economic success of our students who want to live, work and flourish in the Northwest Valley.”
“As a general contractor, we’re especially proud to be working on this project. There is an enormous demand for skilled workers in the numerous industries in Arizona and elsewhere around the country that are served by the Career and Technical Education programs West-MEC offers,” said Dr. David Peterson, vice president of operations for McCarthy’s education construction team. “This new campus will provide a wealth of opportunities for students and adults seeking career training in the Northwest Valley.”
About West-MEC
West-MEC is a joint technical education public school district that focuses solely on innovative career and technical education (CTE) programs that prepare students to enter the workforce and pursue continuing education. West-MEC CTE programs provide students opportunities to earn college credit and industry credentials. West- MEC serves more than 29,000 students from 46 high schools, across 3,600 square miles in the northern and western cities of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. West-MEC now also offers adult education programs. Visit www.west-mec.org for more information about West-MEC’s career-driven education opportunities or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About McCarthy Building Companies
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 16th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2016). With approximately 1,700 salaried employees and offices in St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Portage, Ind.; Kansas City, Kan.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Dallas, Houston; Albuquerque; and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google+.
