Campus Highlights

Demo of Old Hayes-Taylor YMCA, Groundbreaking for Engineering Complex Set for Oct. 29

Only one thing stands in the way of the start of construction on the Engineering Research and Innovation Complex (ERIC) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University – the original Hayes-Taylor YMCA.

At 2 p.m., Monday, Oct. 29, university officials and community members alike will gather to raze the building created in the late 1930s for African Americans in Greensboro and break ground on a catalyst for short- and long-term economic growth and development.

In the 2016 primary election, North Carolina voters approved the $2-billion Connect NC bond that included a $90-million provision for N.C. A&T. The ERIC will deepen the university’s engineering instruction and research capacities, help the university foster partnerships with local and regional industry and create job opportunities that directly benefit the entire community as companies seek to meet the global demands of the future.

N.C. A&T is already a national leader in engineering education, producing more African American graduates at the undergraduate and master’s levels than any other campus in the country.

Connect NC was the state’s first bond since 2000 when voters approved a $3.1-billion measure for construction on UNC System and community college campuses. Traditionally, bond referendums are financed by tax increases. Connect NC came at a time when the state was experiencing strong revenue growth and ample debt service capacity.