Questar III BOCES, based in Castleton, NY, is planning to build a new 60,000 SF vocational education center which will provide programs for high school students in Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties. The new building will be located on a 9-acre site on Route 150 in Schodack and will be operational for the start of the school year in September 2018. The new educational center will replace the current Rensselaer Educational Center located on Colleen Road in Troy. The current economic and regulatory environment makes this an ideal time for Questar III and its districts to collaborate regionally on a cost-effective building modernization effort. This includes state legislation that now allows BOCES to enter into 20-year building leases.

Questar III BOCES delivers more than 275 educational and administrative services to 23 school districts in Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties. Questar III also provides statewide services to more than 640 school districts in New York. They help school districts operate more efficiently and cost effectively by sharing costs and pooling resources. BOCES services are created when two or more school districts have similar needs that can be met by sharing staff members, classroom/office space, equipment, time or expertise.

The current 50,000 SF outdated facility in Troy offers students courses in fields like construction, culinary arts, cosmetology and automotive repair. The new center will house programs like auto-mechanic and auto services, certified nurse assistant, hospitality and lodging, HVAC, construction, cosmetology, computer networking, aviation maintenance, and welding, which is not currently offered. It will also be home to special education programs.

VIP submitted a proposal to perform full design-build duties – architecture, engineering, construction and development – on the project and won. We will design, construct, finance, own, operate and lease this state-of-the-art educational facility to BOCES. Since being awarded the project back at the end of October 2016, VIP quickly started the planning and design process. Working closely with BOCES we have progressed through site selection, worked collaboratively with their design committee to develop the program and floor plan, and attended preliminary meetings with the State Education Department and the Town of Schodack. We are confident that construction will begin late summer or early fall of 2017.

Read more about this project here