Students seeking in-demand health care careers can look forward to learning in a state-of-the-art facility on Highline College’s main campus.

To create the new space, the college’s Building 26 will undergo a major renovation. The college will mark the start of the project with Demolition Day, scheduled for May 7 at noon outside of Building 26. It is free and open to public.

The estimated $30 million renovation is the college’s first significant capital project in more than a decade. It will also be the first LEED-certified building on campus. Construction is expected to be completed by September 2019.

A three-story concrete masonry structure, Building 26 will become an integrated, flexible learning environment needed to meet the growing demand for health care professionals.

The renovation of the 1970s-era building will include a comprehensive interior remodel of program spaces, a new addition to add program space and faculty offices, and site improvements. Once complete, the Health and Life Sciences Building will include 46,068 square feet of classroom, lab, office and study space.

Design funding of $3.4 million came during the 2015–17 biennium as part of the Washington Community and Technical Colleges’ capital funding request to the state legislature. Construction funding of $23.37 million was approved during the 2018 session of the legislature. An additional $3.17 will be funded by the college through local construction funds, for an estimated total project cost of $30 million.

Project partners include McGranahan Architects of Tacoma and Pease Construction of Lakewood.

Currently, Highline’s health and wellness-related programs are scattered across campus in four separate buildings. Unifying them in one central location will allow students of various disciplines to interact in a real-world environment

The college’s main campus is located in Des Moines, midway between Seattle and Tacoma at South 240th Street and Pacific Highway South (Highway 99).