The ACC Board of Trustees is preparing to select an architect for the renovation of the former J.C. Penney property at Highland Mall. The J.C. Penney building will be used for instruction, with space dedicated to innovative math learning and accommodating renovations of existing campuses.

At the January 23 board meeting, trustees heard presentations from the three architecture firms that are the finalists for the J.C. Penney renovation project. The finalists are Barnes Gromatzky Kosarek Architects, O’Connell Robertson, and SHW Group; each has worked on other ACC projects. The board is expected to make a final selection at the February 6 meeting.

Meanwhile, progress continues on the construction of the new Elgin Campus; see the January 2012 update for details. Plans are being finalized for Hays Campus (read more in the January 2012 update), with a recent Texas Supreme Court decision clearing the path to construction.