Updated: January 11, 2018

WORK IS PROGRESSING ON THE NEW LAWRENCE COUNTY EDUCATION CENTER. COUNTY OFFICIALS ADVISE THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN SECURED AND THE SITE HAS BEEN CLEARED. THE TWO STORY FORTY THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT BRICK AND LIMESTONE FACILITY IS PLANNED TO OPEN IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS WITH THE FIRST CLASSES TO BEGIN IN THE FALL OF 2019. IT IS HOPED THAT WITH AN AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE MOVING FORWARD FEWER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASSES WILL BE MISSED. THE PROJECT, WHICH IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, COLUMBIA STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND TENNESSEE TECH, WILL BE LOCATED ON A 40-ACRE TRACT OF PROPERTY ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF U.S. 43 AND THE U.S. 64 BYPASS. THE PROJECT RECEIVED $4.6 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, $1.5 MILLION DOLLARS EACH FROM THE CITY OF LAWRENCEBURG AND THE LAWRENCE COUNTY COMMISSION AND ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION HAS BEEN SECURED FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY AND MARTIN METHODIST COLLEGE HAVE ALSO SHOW AN INTEREST IN OFFERING CLASSES THERE. THE TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF APPLIED TECHNOLOGY WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING HOUSED IN THE OLD MURRAY OHIO BUILDING WILL BE LOCATED IN A TWENTY THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT FACILITY ADJACENT TO THE CENTER. ONCE THE FACILITIES OPEN IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE PROGRAMS OFFERED WILL BE EXPANDED. THE PLAN IS TO HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING AND START CONSTRUCTION IN APRIL.