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Lake Technical College proposes 'Lake Tech South' campus; asks board for site access and parking
Summary
Lake Technical College told the Lake County School Board it has $5.8 million to begin site work and phase 1 renovations at a south-county Lincoln Park Education Center site, proposing HVAC, electrician, dental and culinary programs and requesting use of adjacent district land for student parking.
Diana Thomas, representing Lake Technical College, presented a phased plan for a south-county campus she called Lake Tech South, asking the Lake County School Board to allow use of adjacent district property to provide student parking for the new programs.
Thomas said phase 1 converts the former Lincoln Park gym into four classrooms and labs, four teacher offices, a break room and upgraded restrooms with space dedicated to HVAC and electrician training. She said the college plans day classes for HVAC and evening apprenticeship cohorts and described partnerships with Lake Sumter State College to house higher-level programs in shared lab space.
"We're referring to this as Lake Tech South," Thomas said, describing the site as a way to expand Lake Technical College's footprint into the south end of the county. She told the board that the phase 1 renovation is entirely funded by a state workforce capitalization grant covering equipment and FF&E.
Thomas also said the project received a $4.9 million legislative appropriation and that Lake County has set aside $800,000 in ARPA funds, "so together we have about $5,800,000 to go towards that." She asked the board to consider letting the college develop and use district-owned land behind the campus to create the parking necessary for daytime students, Pearson VUE test-takers and partners such as CareerSource Central Florida.
Board members asked technical questions about stormwater, parking surfacing and whether existing buildings would remain. Thomas said the plan is largely renovation of existing footprint with no new building construction in phase 1 and that the gravel lot shown in project images would be surfaced as needed. An architect with the team was present to answer civil engineering questions about retention and stormwater mitigation.
Board members and attendees generally expressed support for the workforce programming; several noted the benefit of bringing dental-assisting and hygiene clinics, baking and pastry arts, and other high-wage, high-skill programs closer to residents in the south county.
The board did not take formal action at the workshop; Thomas said the task order to the architect is intended to refine cost and site work needs and said she would return with additional details as the project moves forward. The district will continue vetting stormwater and parking solutions before any formal land-use decision.
