MARSHALL — Plans to convert a building on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University into an alternative learning center are continuing to take shape. Construction on the project could start in January, speakers at this week’s Marshall School Board meeting said.

On Monday, school board members heard an update on the project, which is a collaboration among Marshall Public Schools, Southwest West Central Service Cooperative, and SMSU. The plan is to convert the Social Science building at SMSU into a facility with space for MATEC, an Educational Learning Center serving students with disabilities, and Adult Basic Education.

Board members learned more about the timeline and design of the project from Kim Barse of ORB Management, Gary Hay of architecture firm Hay Dobbs, and SWWC executive director Cliff Carmody.

“We started this work in 2016, and one of our building blocks was to try and collaborate as much as we could,” Carmody said. “We have had great success working with MPS, SMSU, and the co-op in making this project a reality.”

Barse said the Social Science building was vacated in September, and was ready for renovations to begin.

“Construction documents have been completed and have been reviewed by the project team,” he said. Bidding documents for construction would be issued October 23, and planners were also working on final exhibits for the lease agreement for the building.

Hay gave an overview of how the space inside the Social Science building would be used by SWWC and MATEC. The Educational Learning Center and space for SWWC staff would be on the first floor of the building, while space for MATEC and area ABE would be on the second floor. Carmody said about 20% of the total square footage would be shared space, including a shared recreation and cafeteria area that will be built inside what is now a dance studio in the building.

Hay said parking for SWWC and MATEC staff would be to the east of the building, while student and visitor parking would be to the north. The north parking lot is currently gravel, but the plan would be to pave a student dropoff area in front of the building, he said.

A playground for children in kindergarten through eighth grade would also be built in open space near the building, Hay said.

Barse said the plan is to open bids for the project on Nov. 16.

“We’ll review all of that information and tabulate everything,” he said. “Then we’ll be making a recommendation and notice to proceed for SWWC on the main part, and then we’ll look for Marshall Public Schools at the December board meeting to approve the sublease for their portion of the space.”

Construction in the building could start in January, Barse said.

“We’re cautiously optimistic that will be an appropriate timeline for us,” he said. If construction starts in January, it would be substantially complete in July.

“We’re excited about the project. These guys have been great to work with,” said MPS Superintendent Jeremy Williams. “We’re off to a good start, and I agree the collaboration piece is huge. It’s going to make this work for both of us.”