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Politics & Government

Gwinnett Tech Board Selects Alpharetta Not Sandy Springs for Campus

The Technical College System board approved buying 25 acres at the intersection of Ga. 400 and Old Milton Parkway.

 

Sandy Springs failed at its second attempt to land a local Gwinnett Tech Campus.

Alpharetta will be home to a satellite campus with the approval of a 25-acre land purchase at the intersection of Ga. 400 and Old Milton Parkway, according to a Monday announcement.

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The Technical College System of Georgia board approved the recommendation at a meeting on Sept. 26th. Last year Sandy Springs lost out to Alpharetta on a bid for a local campus but the entire project fell through. In the spring, the board put out a new request for proposals for the North Fulton County campus site. Gwinnett Tech’s service area was expanded to include North Fulton County in June 2010.

Last year Sandy Springs lost out to Alpharetta on a bid for a local campus but the entire project fell through. The Gwinnett Tech board put out a new request for proposals over the summer.

Find out what's happening in Sandy Springswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rusty Paul, chairman of Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce, worked with Mayor Eva Galambos on possible sites for a Sandy Springs community college campus during the spring and early summer.

At a June City Council meeting Paul said, “This time there is actually slightly over $25 million that has been set aside in bond funds that have been authorized by the General Assembly in the last session, for this particular campus.”

Are you relieved or disappointed that Sandy Springs lost the bid for a local Gwinnett Campus?

In a news release, Sharon Bartels, president of Gwinnett Tech expressed confidence in the Alpharetta location calling it a site that provides capacity for students and convenience for area residents. "We now look forward to the next steps in this process and the ultimate approval and purchase of the property,” she said.

The Alpharetta site now has to be approved by the State Property Commission for approval. It will be closed by the State Attorney General's office, and that process is expected to take 6-9 months.

The 25-acre site can support four three-story buildings and necessary parking, the statement said. When fully built out, the campus could serve up to 10,000 students.


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