BUTLER TWP — The township planning commission on Tuesday approved a land development plan for the first phase of a Butler County Community College main campus project that includes a new maintenance building, a new connector road and utility infrastructure for a new building for the nursing program.

The first phase of the project includes construction of the maintenance building, demolition of the existing maintenance building, construction of a connector road from Old Plank Road, and site preparation and utility extensions for the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building.

The planning commission made its approval contingent on BC3 posting a security bond and receiving approval of its sewage system. The plan will go before township commissioners for final approval.

Because the work will take place on the south end of the 330-acre campus off Old Plank Road, the project has been dubbed the south campus project, said Brian Opitz, BC3 executive director of operations.

Construction is expected to start in May and take 15 months to complete, he said.

The existing maintenance building and shipping and receiving building will be demolished because they are too old to continue maintaining and are in the way of student activities, Opitz said.

Construction of the maintenance building will require reconfiguration of a walking trail, he said.

The connector road will begin at the campus entrance on Old Plank Road and connect to a road that loops around the campus, Opitz said.

He said construction of the nursing building is the second phase of the project, and it will be designed after first phase construction begins.

The construction cost of both phases was estimated at $18 million.

The Phillips building construction cost is estimated at $10 million. The college plans to pay half the cost using funding from the county and at least $2 million in donations.

Former state Sen. Tim Shaffer donated $1 million, and Janice Phillips Larrick of Butler Township gave $1 million to the BC3 Education Foundation for the building that will house the Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health.

Shaffer of Prospect represented the 21st District for 16 years and is a retired district judge and attorney.