A-B Tech’s New Ferguson Center for Allied Health
A-B Tech’s new Ferguson Center for Allied Health and Workforce Development was dedicated in a ceremony held in the lobby of the new facility December 1, 2015.
The new building, located on the former St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines property on Victoria Road, will open in January for classes serving more than 1,000 students in 18 Allied Health programs, several healthcare workforce programs, and continuing education classes.
“We are pleased to see this building completed and opened to students who comprise the healthcare workforce for hospitals and medical offices throughout Western North Carolina,” said A-B Tech President Dennis King. “Since its founding in 1959, A-B Tech has graduated more than 8,000 students from Allied Health programs. This new facility assures that we can continue to expand our programs and provide state-of-the-art training.”
The new building is named and dedicated in honor of Jack and Carolyn Ferguson, longtime A-B Tech supporters who donated $5 million in 2013 to help fund equipment and furnishings for the new facility. The couple also have given more than $1 million for endowed and general scholarships, and Jack Ferguson continues to serve on the A-B Tech Foundation’s Board of Directors.
“Knowing this building will help so many students find careers in healthcare is a dream come true for us,” said Carolyn Ferguson, who spoke at the dedication ceremony. “Our daughters graduated from A-B Tech with nursing degrees and our goal is to provide future generations of students with that same opportunity.”
Construction of the 169,543-square-foot LEED-certified building cost $37.9 million and was funded by a ¼-cent sales tax from Buncombe County. It was designed by Padgett & Freeman Architects, PA, and built by American South General Contractors and H&M Constructors. The building contains five stories, including four finished floors and a fifth-floor shell that will be completed at a later date to house future programs.
For more information, please visit www.abtech.edu.
