ACWORTH — Students at Chattahoochee Technical College’s north metro campus are getting a new building to relax and study in.

The school is tearing down a tower on campus and renovating the existing auditorium in order to create a new entrance to the main building and a 3,700-square-foot student activity center.

David Simmons, the school’s vice president of facilities, said they began working on the redesign of the campus, located at 5198 Ross Road in Acworth, just off exit 278 on Interstate 75, in 2010.

“It’s where the library, student affairs and student success center will be,” Simmons said. “We need a place for students to congregate more.”

Jennifer Nelson, the college’s vice president of external affairs, said students and faculty members are excited about the much-needed changes.

“I think students are looking for a place to call home,” she said. “It gives the campus more of a college campus feel, and it’s expected to see a student center on a college campus. It will help us create more of that dynamic. We are finding that students are staying on campus longer, studying between classes, and they need that space to study, work, develop friendships.

“We will help build a strong college community by having a centralized student activity center there. It will enhance the atmosphere and learning for this campus. We are desperately lacking there right now.”

The new building will include an area for study groups, dining tables,

vending machines and a television area.

The entire facility will have wireless network coverage.

“The trends of students have changed … there’s more electronic course options,” he said. “We are trying to revamp the facility so that wireless capabilities are there to meet the needs of the students.”

The north metro campus serves approximately 3,200 students.

The school currently has a 400-square-foot student center.

Plans for the renovation were finalized in early spring. Simmons anticipates completion of the project in January 2012. Prime Contractors Inc. of Douglasville is demolishing and renovating the campus for $830,000. Simmons said funds for the project came from the school’s FY10 budget.

The campus was built in 1989 for North Metro College. Chattahoochee Tech merged with North Metro and Appalachian Technical College on Jan. 1, 2009.