ORLANDO—Construction and facility management firm Gilbane Building Company, based in Providence, R.I., is getting its place in the sun as its Florida offices are working to renovate Orange Technical College.

Gilbane has been tapped by the college to provide construction management for renovations at the main campus of OTC.  According to information recently unveiled by Gilbane, the company will renovate the entirety of the educational building’s 135,000 square feet of space.  Gilbane is currently deep into phase 1, which is happening while instruction continues apace inside the five-story building.

The scope of work entails both demolition of older spaces as well as updating other areas.  Entirely new amenities will entail training rooms, technology labs, as well as practical classrooms dedicated to such specialties as dental hygiene, nursing and emergency care.  The reimagined OTC will also be offering a new campus store, conference spaces, administration offices as well as examination rooms.

In a statement released by Gilbane, Area Manager Shane Burnsed spoke highly of the ongoing partnership his firm has built with OTC.

“We look forward to delivering campus enhancements that serve students, teachers, and our local community and help grow our workforce in our local area,” he said.

If all goes according to plan, the renovations and updates will be ready sometime in the fall of 2023. Architectural firm Harvard Jolly is reported leading the design elements of the project.

Orlando Technical College has been operating continuously since 1933, and now encompasses five campuses where students can learn trades in the classroom as well as in practical and professional settings.

Gilbane Building Company, founded in 1870, offers preconstruction and construction management services that include design-build and facility management.  In addition to its offices in Rhode Island and Florida, the contractor hosts over 40 other offices around the world.  Gilbane is a consistent leader in school construction throughout the Sunshine State.

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ORLANDO—DLR Group has been selected to design the new Orange Technical College – Westside Campus. Orange Technical College, part of Orange County Public Schools, encompasses five technical college campuses across Central Florida and is integrating a new vision to achieve specialized curriculum at each location.

The new Westside Campus replaces an existing building and relocates the school to a 37-acre site adjacent to Orange County Public Schools’ Ocoee High School and State Road 429. The new location’s proximity to a major roadway will allow the campus to serve as a billboard to the surrounding community, promoting new educational opportunities and celebrating career-focused learning.

“DLR Group is excited to enhance hands-on educational offerings to better prepare Central Florida’s future workforce through building construction and apprenticeship training programs. Our design will benefit dual enrollment high school students and adult learners who are seeking additional college-readiness and career certification, training, and placement,” said DLR Group Principal Nicole Nichols, AIA.

The new Westside Campus is projected to be 120,000 square feet, with a project budget of $36.5 million. It will focus on Building Construction programs including building construction technology, carpentry, refrigeration and heating, welding, and various apprenticeship programs, as well as Human Services programs such as cosmetology, massage therapy and veterinary assisting. The campus will open to students in August 2022.

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse.

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