STORM LAKE — Construction of a new Iowa Central Community College Storm Lake Campus is officially underway.

Crews from Jensen Builders Ltd., of Fort Dodge, have been working at the site since late March, but a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new campus, located at 323 W. 20th St. adjacent to the Iowa Central Training Center on Storm Lake’s north side, was held Thursday morning.

Representatives from Iowa Central, Storm Lake United, Jensen Builders Ltd. and ISG Architects, of Storm Lake; were on hand to dig their golden shovels into the dirt, celebrating the expansion and consolidation of Storm Lake’s facilities into one location. Presently, Storm Lake students take classes in three separate locations: the AEA Building on Flindt Drive, Storm Lake High School and on the campus of Buena Vista University.

The new two-story building will feature 16 classrooms, an Academic Resource Center, and a testing center. The new center will allow Iowa Central to offer additional programs such as welding, electrical and manufacturing and certified nurse aide courses. It will serve as a career academy for students from five school districts in northwest Iowa. It will host Community Education and English Language Learners courses at night as well as serving as a center for local companies to train employees.

Storm Lake Campus Director Chris Cleveland said the new campus will be a positive link between the college and the community.

“I believe this will have a positive impact on the community as a whole,” said Cleveland. “We are here for the community, and a big thing for us is that we will be able to offer everything from our ELL classes to customized programs for business and industry in our community to train, teach, develop and re-develop skills.”

“We believe in the communities we serve,” said Iowa Central President Jesse Ulrich. “This will be a community space where we will train the people who serve your community every day, from those who are learning English language to those who will become the skilled laborers.”

Construction of the new campus is expected to be complete by August 2024 .