Southwestern Community College officially dedicated a new $8.8 million building on its main campus in Sylva last week. The building was built with a majority of state money but also a large contribution by Jackson County.
The building includes 10 new classrooms, a new home for the campus bookstore, a conference center with a 400-person seating capacity and administrative offices.
The second and third floors will serve as the hub for SCC’s English and Business programs as well as a variety of Arts and Sciences courses. Student lounges and learning areas are located throughout the structure.
Enrollment at all of SCC’s campuses have increased about 50 percent since 2000.
The building was named after Conrad Burrell for his service on the college’s board of trustees since 1996. Burrell has also served as a Jackson County Commissioner, on the state Transportation Board and as the county’s register of deeds.
Burrell was honored at the dedication ceremony last week attended by many local education and government officials.
When asked how it felt to have a building named after him, Burrell replied, “It’s great. I’m not worthy of it probably, but it’s a great honor.”
The building has been under construction since 2011, and this fall is the first semester it has been open for use.
The building also includes a geothermal heating and cooling system that consists of 48 wells dug under the building’s parking lot to a depth of 450 feet to take advantage of the constant temperature of underground water. Energy efficient and lighting are also integrated into the buildings design.
The folks in the mountains of Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee share more than a common boundary, they share a deep appreciation for the wild, sometimes rugged, but always beautiful landscape they call home. 
