A middle college magnet school, Great Path Academy, is emerging on the campus of Manchester Community College, Manchester, Conn. Construction on the 75,000-square-foot, $21 million building will be completed in 2009, expanding its facilities to accommodate more than 300 students in grades 10 to 12, for enrollment in unique programs that provide opportunities to earn college credits tuition-free.
The academy will be the first public high school constructed on a college campus in Connecticut. The two-story facility is designed to give students easy access to the college, and to allow the college and magnet school to share facilities. Its unique curriculum and site fully integrate students into the college community.
The exterior design harmonizes with other buildings on campus. The building features specialized learning spaces in addition to classrooms, laboratories, administrative and support areas, a gymnasium, Internet cafe and community room.
The school is being constructed adjacent to one of the campus buildings, and a central heating and cooling plant has been designed and built to effectively meet the requirements of both buildings.
The architect is Tai Soo Kim Partners, Architects (Hartford, Conn.). BVH Integrated Services, Inc. (Bloomfield, Conn.) is the project engineer.
