By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

A $650,000 donation by a local developer to Gateway Community and Technical College will save the school more than $1 million in construction costs for its new Boone Campus.

Toebben Builders and Developers donated a 1.7-acre parcel that will be the entrance to the new campus off Sam Neace Boulevard, near Mount Zion Road in Boone County.

The company also provided infrastructure including sewer, gas, water and electric. All that remains is for the road to be paved, which will be done by the state with a $500,000 grant from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

For Toebben, it was one of the company's largest donations ever.

"This was an opportunity for us to help the college out," said President Bill Toebben. "Also, we're an industrial and commercial developer, so we're contributing toward the education of our future workforce."

The donation and grant total $1.15 million, an amount that won't have to come out of the school's $4.5 million budget for construction of the school.

"This really is a big deal," said Gateway President Ed Hughes. "We needed a major entrance to the campus, and without this donation our 30,000-square-foot building would be a lot smaller."

The groundbreaking for the campus, which will accommodate 5,000 students, will be in the next couple of months.

Hughes' next concern is whether or not the building will open after it is completed in the fall of 2004.

"This last budget passed by the General Assembly still does not contain the operating funds for that facility," said Hughes. "We still may have to hang a `closed' sign on the door when it's finished."

Hughes is hopeful the money will be passed by the General Assembly in the next session, months before the campus is scheduled to open. About $400,000 is needed to operate the campus each year.

The long-term goal of the school is to have 400,000 square feet of facilities, about 4 or 5 buildings, constructed over the next decade.

Gateway is part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, which has 62 campuses around the state. The system serves as an entry point to post-secondary education, with an emphasis on workforce training.

Gateway has three campuses already operating in Covington, Edgewood and Highland Heights, with 28 programs and 2,500 students.