Work continues on the new UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township. It will open this year.

The face of Butler County is changing.

This is reflected in the Butler Eagle’s annual Progress Edition in today’s paper.

Its theme is “Building for the future,” and its stories on business, community groups and government highlight growth in the county.

The 48-page section looks at what might happen to the five elementary schools in the Butler School District if they close later this year. That change will impact hundreds of students and parents.

City leaders hope the planned Centre City project with a new hotel and parking garage will change downtown Butler in a positive way.

Mayor Tom Donaldson expects construction to begin in April on both the hotel and garage.

UPMC and the Pittsburgh Penguins will bring more notoriety to Cranberry Township with their new sports medicine/hockey complex there.

“This facility will truly pull and attract people from all over the world,” said Ron Henshaw, Cranberry’s director of community development.

Rich Hixon, executive director of strategic planning for the Penguins, said, “We look at this as a regional facility that will act as a catalyst for future development along that corridor. It’s going to be tremendous for the region.”

The Butler Health System is investing in the future of the county by building a $20 million medical office off Route 422 in Summit Township.

It is expected to open this fall.

Roxann Stickney, zoning officer for Summit, said, “We’re excited because it’s not only going to help the residents of Summit Township, but it will help Butler in general.

Change is even coming to the new Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School, which opened in August.

It already is looking to expand.

The school had eight sports for students when it was on Pittsburgh’s North Side. But beginning this fall, it will offer 20.

“We’re anticipating consistent rise in enrollment over the next few years, and we’re keeping our athletics in line with that,” athletic director Mike Burrell said.

The high school has an enrollment of 290 this year. School officials expect to have more than 400 next year.

These and other changes are explored in today’s “Building for the future” special section.