City officials announce $17.5M expansion of Malcolm X College West in Austin

A $17.5 million expansion of the Malcolm X College West campus will break ground in Austin Thursday.

The new West campus construction, located roughly 4 miles west of  Malcolm X’s main campus, will include the planned Community Center for Training and Learning, a 3,000-square-foot facility that will provide students with recreational spaces and the broader community with a place to gather according to a Monday news release.

West campus students can currently pursue two-year associate degrees and certificates in healthcare education. The site also offers free classes aimed at helping adults complete their high school education and improve their reading, writing, and English skills.

“The entire project will also allow more people to access a City Colleges of Chicago education so they can reach their academic and career goals,” the community college network said in a press release.

The new building will follow the recent addition of biology laboratories at Malcolm X College West, formerly known as the West Side Learning Center.

Ray Giderof, the Executive Director of the Public Building Commission, which develops and constructs city-owned buildings, is expected to join City Colleges leaders at the ground-breaking event Thursday, according to the release.