Melody Kinser
John B. Maddux Jr. of RRMM Architects tells Hanover County School Board members about the cosmetology area during the Hanover Center for Trades and Technology tour on Aug. 19.
“Savor this moment and what it means for Hanover County.”
That was one of the closing statements made by Superintendent Stewart D. Roberson after the Hanover County School Board toured the new Hanover Center for Trades and Technology on Learning Lane.
The tour, which board members took before their regular meeting last Tuesday, was led by John B. Maddux Jr. of the Norfolk-based architectural firm RRMM.
He is chief executive officer of RRMM Architects.
“We celebrate excitement,” Roberson said, adding, “This School Board delivers to the people and children of Hanover County.”
The total cost for the 40,000-square-foot center was $8.74 million. The actual construction cost was $7.6 million, which Maddux broke down to $194 per square foot. The building houses $1 million in equipment and has state-of-the-art equipment.
“This is the first time in 20 years that a new trade school has been built in Virginia,” Maddux said.
The tour started in the culinary arts area. “This a really good business for students to get into,” Maddux noted.
Charles Hurd, principal at the center, said he expects that course to “probably be the second largest class” in the school’s enrollment.
The center will open with more than 250 students, Maddux said, but can handle “a maximum 500 students in all three shifts.”
As the group moves into the cafeteria, Maddux points out the natural light in that area.
With murmurings being heard about how impressive the structure is, the next stop is through the offices, conference room and workroom.
One of the afternoon’s lighter moments occurred in the cosmetology section when Roberson inadvertently turned a shampoo hose on himself. Maddux assured the gathering that the incident “was not staged.”
Even with a few chuckles, the focus remained on what the building has to offer students.
Cosmetology instructors will be teaching hairstyling and nail procedures. Lockers are nearby so students will be able change into appropriate clothing for their classes.
Heading outside, Maddux noted the land between the center and the Georgetown School. “If programs expand, there is room to add another wing – potentially with a courtyard.”
In the maintenance and trades lab area, School Board members milled about the space. Masonry, carpentry, plumbing and electrical will be courses offered within those walls. “The tool cabinets are each set up for a specific plan,” Maddux said.
At the back of the center is an area designed to store old cars. “It could potentially be the messiest area,” Maddux said. “We want to keep maintenance down as much as possible.”
In the automotive technology area, Hurd said “There is none other like it in the state, or on this side of the Mississippi River. This is a great opportunity.”
The goal in the automotive course is to gear students toward national certification.
Vehicles donated for the course will be about a year old.
Students will receive state-of-the-art training, preparing them for 41 opportunities in a new car dealership.
Hurd also noted the center will steer students toward small engines certification. They will learn how to repair outdoor power equipment.
“The equipment is what makes the building,” Maddux said.
Looking at the School Board, he added, “You all are the first to build a new one in 20 to 25 years.”
The center became a reality after county residents approved a measure in 2005 by a 4-1 margin.
Melody Kinser
Hanover County School Board members, from left, Robert L. Wood, Ann F.H. Gladstone and Earl J. Hunter Jr. talk with John B. Maddux Jr., right, of RRMM Architects during the Aug. 12 tour of the new Hanover Center for Trades and Technology on Learning Lane.
Melody Kinser
Charles Hurd, Hanover Center for Trades and Technology principal, addresses the School Board while Superintendent Stewart D. Roberson listens.
