Thanks to great weather, the brick work and carpentry have been able to proceed on schedule. Visit firestonefarms.org to find out more about this new project in Columbiana, Ohio
ALLIANCE
As symbolized by Stark State College’s red, white and blue logo mounted on a recently constructed building, higher education has a new location in this city.
The college’s recently constructed Alliance Satellite Center debuted this week inside this 10,000-square-foot facility.
The center, located a block north of Alliance Community Hospital at 1725 S. Arch Ave., contains three lecture classrooms, three computer laboratories and a multipurpose laboratory.
There also is a student lounge equipped with 13 desk-top computers so students can study while not in class. The building also contains some offices on its east side.
Alliance Community Hospital actually owns the building and has a 10-year lease with the college.
This is one of Stark State’s satellite projects, giving the college a presence in downtown Canton, Barberton, Carrollton and Alliance. Stark State’s main campus is in Jackson Township.
“Our thrust is we are bringing high-quality education in an accessible way,” said Marisa Rohn, public relations officer for Stark State. “I think people appreciate having the opportunity to attend college right in their backyard. It is based on the demands of the community.”
It is the school’s introduction to Alliance. The college has been operating a satellite outreach in this city at leased space in the 1200 block of W. State Street.
“All of the summer sessions that were on State Street have moved here,” said Jessica Grimes, coordinator of Stark State’s Alliance satellite. “We still have computers and stuff in the building that will be moved here.”
The new satellite center sits on a portion of the site of the former Alliance Community Hospital complex. That old complex was razed. Alliance Community Hospital moved out in 2006 and operates in the new facility in the 200 block of E. State Street.
A Warren-based architectural firm, Baker, Bednar Snyder & Associates, designed the facility. Prime contractor was an area company, Fred Olivieri Construction.
“It was done to sort of match the character of the hospital campus,” said Nathan Aleskovsky of the architectural firm that designed the project. “It is the exact same brick and stone. We tried to use the same proportion for the windows.”
The largest chamber is the multipurpose laboratory. That room is about 1,225 square feet and is in the center of the structure.
“It is multipurpose lab,” Aleskovski said. “Any sort of science-based classes that are hands-on I would assume go in that room.”
The Andover Bank is expanding its administrative facility to better serve customers at eight different branches, said Andover Bank Executive Vice President Stephen Varckette.
When complete, the expansion project will encompass 6,500 square feet, nearly doubling the size of the building, constructed in 1995.
“It will allow us to expand our products,” Varckette said. He said the bank has significantly increased its business since 1995 and expects growth to continue in coming years.
The actual construction, under the direction of Parillo Builders, is scheduled to begin later this week and continue for a year, Varckette said. The architectural firm designing the project is Baker Bednar Snyder & Associates.
Bob Taylor, a member of the board of directors, said the bank decided it was a good time to build because of three good years during difficult national economic times. He said the loyalty of customers and quality employees are big parts of the bank’s success.
Varckette said 30 to 40 people are employed at the Andover administrative center and that number will likely grow.
Employees at the center handle loan administration, collections, deposit administration, accounts, computer technology and provide a call center, he said.
