For Immediate Release

Date: September 24, 2024

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Breaks Ground on New Community Center

(Lancaster, PA) —  On Tuesday, September 24 at 9 a.m., Thaddeus Stevens College held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Steinman Community Learning Center at 420 South Broad Street in Lancaster City. College President Pedro Rivera, Steinman Communications Board Chair Robert Krasne, and Community Action Partnership (CAP) CEO Vanessa Philbert spoke at the event.

This construction project will remove the empty building at the site and build a new, two-story, 14,000-square-foot building. The new structure will house community meeting rooms, a science, engineering, technology, and math-focused maker space for students in grades K-12, and a childcare center operated by CAP. The Steinman Foundation provided some funding for the project, which will have a total cost of $6.8 million.

“This project demonstrates the deep connection Thaddeus Stevens College has with our community, and our dedication to creating pathways to education and careers with a focus on equity,” said Pedro A. Rivera II, Ed.D., president of the College. “Our goal is to empower and support those seeking degrees to improve their lives, and places where students can be introduced to science, engineering, technology, and math careers at a young age, where caregivers can have a safe and nurturing place for their young ones to be cared for, and where the community can gather and connect all integrate toward that goal.”

Construction on the project formally began on September 23 and is expected to be completed in 12 months. Buildings at Thaddeus Stevens College are owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the college works closely with the state’s Department of General Services on capital projects. Lobar Inc. is the contractor managing the construction. The College will have sponsorship opportunities available for several spaces within the building.

“Meaningful work is amplified when it takes place with great partners,” said Robert Krasne, board chair of the Steinman Foundation. “…Now the Steinman Community Learning Center at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology will become a community connection, a resource further establishing the college as more than just a place for students, but a resource for the community.”

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An acclaimed residential two-year college in the heart of Central Pennsylvania, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is an accredited technical college dedicated to preparing students for high-demand careers with family-sustaining wages. Founded in 1905 with 15 students, Thaddeus Stevens College has grown to more than 1,400 students and 24 high-skill technical and trade degree programs. Through its mission, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology breaks down barriers that perpetuate educational inequities and creates access to a college degree. Committed to the legacy of its benefactor, Thaddeus Stevens, the college serves as an instrument of change in the lives of its students, graduates and employees who, in turn, impact change on businesses, industries and communities across Pennsylvania and beyond. stevenscollege.edu