Brick veneer and entry enclosures were two bits of construction underway at the Eastern Oregon Higher Education Center on Thursday. The site is expected to open for classes in September.

With four months until classes begin, work is flying ahead on the Eastern Oregon Higher Education Center.

Thursday, a crew of about 30 people bustled around the site, working with mechanical systems and plumbing, enclosing the building against wind and adding brick veneers for design. Cars and trucks lined the area that will become the facility parking lot, and with framing complete, the building is beginning to fall into its final shape.

As The president said, its on budget, its on time, Margaret Saylor, senior associate vice president for Blue Mountain Community College, said Thursday. That is good news.

The 32,000 square-foot EOHEC facility is a joint venture between Blue Mountain Community College, Eastern Oregon University and the City of Hermiston. Discussions and planning for development of a higher education center have gone on for about five years, based on the needs of a growing student population, and EOHEC will allow students to complete associate and bachelors degrees without leaving western Umatilla County.

Classes are scheduled to begin Sept. 26.

The main entrance to the facility will open into a student commons area, with the administrative offices to the left and a two-story wing of classrooms to the right.

Along with the administrative offices, the single-story wing of the building will also include a boardroom and an open room designed and designated for testing, a need at the current facility where testing space competes with classroom and office needs.

Testing is a big issue for us right now because we dont have anywhere set aside just for testing, Saylor said. We do so much testing right now, not only for (BMCC) but for Eastern Oregon University and other places as well.

Although offices and general classrooms will be carpeted, project manager John Hultman, of Hill International, said the common areas and science classrooms will use a RetroPlate polished concrete system.

Thursday, one worker moved back and forth down the long central hallway grinding concrete, a process he will complete multiple times over his 30-day contract.

Hell go over everything with four different grinders, Hultman said. Hes very diligent.

After the grinding process is complete, the floors will be covered with a pourable product and gone over with a machine for shine. Finally a protectant will be installed.

Theres a lot that goes into it, and a lot going on right now, Hultman said. We are on time, despite what the weather did to us this winter. This has been a great team to work with, and everyone is willing to work to get this done.

According to Saylor and Hultman, construction work should be primarily completed by the end of August, when furniture will be delivered. Although classes begin in September, the public grand opening of the facility is slated for 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11.