Central Arizona College to Hold Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Buildings at Superstition Mountain Campus
By Angela Askey, Executive Director Public Relations and Marketing
Central Arizona College (CAC) will celebrate the Superstition Mountain Campus expansion during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wed., January 15, 2025, at 10 a.m. Featured speakers will include Andrea Ramos, Senior Project Director with McCarthy Building Companies; Dr. Jackie Elliott, CAC President; Dr. Tina Berry, CAC Academic Dean and Daniel Childers, Architect and Senior Associate with Architekton. Attendees are asked to park in the west parking lot of the campus (805 S. Idaho Rd., Apache Junction, AZ.)
The ribbon cutting will serve as the official opening of the new Allied Health and Skilled Trades buildings, as well as C building renovations.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of the Allied Health and Skilled Trades buildings, which marks a major milestone in supporting career and technical education,” said Andrea Ramos, senior project director for McCarthy. “These two new buildings will empower students pursuing careers in the trades and healthcare sectors, providing them with state-of-the-art facilities where they can learn and thrive under the guidance of the college’s exceptional staff. This project stands as a testament to our commitment to building the foundation for our future workforce.”
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Central Arizona College and our dedicated McCarthy contractor team as we celebrate the completion of these exceptional facilities. This milestone marks the culmination of hard work, collaboration, and unwavering commitment, and we could not be more excited to open the doors to the students, faculty, and surrounding communities of Apache Junction. As we look forward to the upcoming grand opening ceremony, we celebrate not just the completion of buildings, but the opportunities for growth, learning, and connection they will provide for generations to come.” – Daniel Childers, Senior Associate for Architekton
Construction began in fall 2023. Renovations to the C building were completed by March 2024 and CAC gained occupancy to both the Skilled Trades and Allied Health buildings on November 1, 2024.
The Allied Health building provides a home for Massage Therapy, Pharmacy, Phlebotomy, Medical Assistant and Radiology as well as the newest programs of Aesthetician, Certified Nursing Assistant and Sonography. The state-of-the-art classrooms and labs replicate realistic healthcare environments, including hospital and operating rooms, and clinical settings equipped with advanced simulation technologies such as computerized patient simulators, high-fidelity mannequins and more. The Massage Therapy and Aesthetician programs will offer a ‘Superstition Spa’ experience for customers.
The Skilled Trades Facility provides classrooms, labs, and exterior yards for the current Electrical Plumbing, Ceramics and Creative Arts programming. Workshops will mirror real-world work environments that allow students to develop industry-specific skills and practical experience.
Renovations to the C Building included the addition of a computer lab, virtual reality lab, an expanded E-Sports Lab, faculty and public safety offices. The café, student lounge, and student organization space remained unchanged.
Dr. Jackie Elliott, CAC President stated, “These new facilities allow the college to expand educational opportunities for students and allow the college to remain poised for growth based on industry needs. She added, “We appreciate the partnership with Architekton and McCarthy and the work they have done to ensure the buildings were ready for classes to begin this spring.”
About ARCHITEKTON
Founded in 1989 by four architects–each with their own area of expertise and professional experience–Architekton has grown to a staff of 38. Architekton is known for award-winning, creative solutions to complex projects—projects that balance functionality with aesthetics, and for the firm’s ability to manage strict budgets and produce high quality architecture. In the 34 years since our founding, the firm has completed projects that have been deemed a success by users and the surrounding communities and have gained critical acclaim through over 175 regional and national citations. 2023 marked the firm’s 5th year of receiving the Goodwin Award from the AIA, celebrating successful collaboration in the design and construction industry. In 2017 Architekton was ranked as one of the Top Companies to Work For by azcentral.com and was recently honored as Top Design Firm of the Year by Engineering News-Record.
About McCarthy Building Companies
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with nearly 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 19th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2023). With approximately 6,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis; Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Austin, Channelview, Dallas, and Houston, Texas; and San Diego, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100% employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
