Ivy Tech groundbreaking set

A 30-acre, multi-million dollar Ivy Tech campus in Greencastle will be a large step closer to becoming a reality on Tuesday.

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for 11 a.m. on the southeast corner of Veteran's Memorial Highway (U.S. 240) and Zinc Mill Road.

Speakers at the event will include Sen. Connie Lawson, Greencastle Mayor Sue Murray, Ivy Tech President Thomas J. Snyder and Ivy Tech Chancellor Jeff Pittman.

Ivy Tech has had a presence in Greencastle since the late 1980s. Currently, classes are held in a facility shared with Area 30, a vocational education program utilized by area high school students.

"We've just outgrown the facility," said Karen Henderson, director of marketing and communications for Ivy Tech's Wabash Valley Region. "Once the new building opens, we will be able to expand on out current offerings."

The new facility, christened the Center for Economic and Workforce Development, has a projected opening date of spring 2010. It will measure over 30,000 square feet, and construction is expected to cost around $8 million.

Funding for the facility has come from a number of sources, some of which have been local.

"We've had such tremendous support from the community," said Henderson. "We're overwhelmed and feel very blessed."