LEONARDTOWN, Md. – During their May 14, 2024, meeting, the St. Mary’s County Board of County Commissioners approved a petition and letter of intent to the Maryland Higher Education Commission for the County share of the project funding to renovate Building A on the College of Southern Maryland’s campus.
According to the memo from the Director of the Department of Public Works and Transportation Jim Gotsch, “The CSM Leonardtown A Building comprehensive renovation, and expansion to convert it to a library and learning commons, is key to the overall vision for the campus in St. Mary’s County as it creates a hub of energy for student learning and adaptable workspaces for CSM’s dynamic staff and faculty.”
“The concept for the comprehensive renovation and expansion will be to make a three-floor Library and Learning Commons building the heart of the campus – a dynamic physical and virtual collaborative hub of participatory learning and collaboration for students, faculty, and staff. The commons will centralize academic support services including the Library (which will be open to the public), the Math Resource Center, and The Writing Center, as well as the general tutoring services which is currently spread out in three different buildings. Also included in the new concept is Disability Support Services, Counseling, and the College Store. The building will offer students and employees alike the choice between active and quiet places in which to study/work, with a selection of pods, and individual flex spaces.”
The total project cost estimate as provided by CSM Staff in December 2023 is $16,259,051 as presented in the prior Budget Work Sessions. The money will be provided from the available funds of the various community college loan acts and should the Maryland Higher Education Commission approve the grant funding requested, the CSMC shall provide the local share of the funding which is 25%.
The cost includes design, construction management, utilities, and equipment.
Bill Comey, the Vice President of Operations and Planning for CSM, told the commissioners that if the grant was not approved, they would put the project on halt until they were able to secure funds.
Comey also revealed that the timeline of approval looks to be approximately April of next year.
A motion was made by Commissioner Mike Hewitt which was seconded by Commissioner Eric Colvin. The motion was approved unanimously.
To watch the full meeting, click here.
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Why is CSM pushing for this right now? This is incredibly bad timing, shouldn’t we source the work locally and using our own skilled tradesmen and women. The cost needs to be cut drastically.