ALPENA — On Thursday, the Alpena Community College Board of Trustees approved two significant contracts related to the College Park Apartments addition project, moving the initiative closer to construction phase.

The board selected Progressive AE to handle the architectural and engineering services for the new student housing building. The decision came after a thorough review of multiple bids, with Progressive AE standing out due to its extensive experience with college housing projects. Todd Stevens, the lead architect for Progressive AE, is familiar with ACC, having previously worked at the Electrical Power Technology Center.

“Todd worked with a different firm at the time, but he was one of the key people on that project,” ACC President Don MacMaster said. “Not only are they the low bidder, but based on what we’ve discerned, there’s going to be some quality work delivered.”

The board also approved a contract with Spence Brothers for pre-construction management services, with costs not to exceed $18,400. Spence Brothers has also worked with ACC in the past, having successfully completed other projects at the college.

“We’ve worked with Spence on the last three projects, and they’ve consistently delivered good work,” MacMaster said.

The college has faced a growing demand for on-campus housing, with applications often exceeding available spaces by February for the following fall semester. The new building, which is estimated to cost $4.7 million, will accommodate an additional 32 students, increasing the total capacity of College Park Apartments. The project will also include ADA-accessible units and ample parking, designed to meet the needs of students from popular programs like Nursing, Athletics, and the 13th Year Early Middle College.

To support the construction, ACC secured a $1.75 million earmark from Senator Gary Peters. However, the release of these funds is contingent on completing several regulatory steps, including a review by the State Historical Preservation Office and an environmental assessment.

“If we clear these hurdles without issues, we can move forward with construction,” MacMaster said.