Community college plans campus at Brunswick Naval Air Station

BRUNSWICK – Southern Maine Community College on Tuesday unveiled plans for a new campus at the Brunswick Naval Air Station when the air base shuts down.

SMCC officials, who estimate that there will be at least 1,500 students within three years of the base closing, plan to use the site to train manufacturing workers in conjunction with private business at the redeveloped base, while offering courses for nurses and medical technicians.

College officials presented their proposal to the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, which is overseeing redevelopment plans for the 3,200-acre base. The sprawling base with twin runways is set to close by late 2011, causing a loss of 7,000 jobs in the region.

“The Brunswick community and the redevelopment authority have made us feel very welcome and we look forward to a strong partnership in building this new campus,” said James Ortiz, SMCC president in South Portland. “It is our mission as a college to educate the work force and contribute to the economic development of the region. We are very enthused about this opportunity.”

John Richardson, commissioner of economic and community development, said the area needs a comprehensive college program to meet the demands of regional businesses. “The community college’s presence is a fundamental step in helping our area thrive,” said Richardson, a Brunswick resident.

College officials estimate that it will cost $2.1 million to develop a campus on the base, a fraction of the cost of a new campus, which is pegged at more than $24 million.

The project originally envisioned the University of Maine as a partner, but the state’s flagship campus has stepped aside to let SMMC proceed alone, said Glenn Cummings, SMMC’s acting dean of development who is also the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.