BUTLER TWP — Enrollment at Butler County Community College continues to increase, and that is fueling two building projects.

The college now has 3,897 students, which is up 12 percent from this time last year. That's also 200 students more than any semester's final total.

"We have late start classes still enrolling," said President Nick Neupauer. He said full-time student registration is up more than 20 percent and the growth is spread across all campuses.

He added while it's early in the summer registration process, enrollment for that session is up 15 percent from this time last year.

This growth comes on the heels of 17 percent growth in the fall and puts the college at its student capacity.

Because of the growth, the college is looking for places to put students. On campus, that means renovations to the former student services building. And, in Hermitage, Mercer County, that means construction at LindenPointe.

The board of trustees Wednesday approved $1.2 million in contracts to renovate the vacant student building, now called Building D. The building was emptied when the college opened its new Student Success Building in the fall and moved offices out.

The renovations, which include limited new square footage, will mean 184 more seats in classrooms and distance learning labs. It also will connect Building D with the college's humanities building.

Board member Eric Schultz said much of the cost of the renovations will come from $850,000 in savings from the construction of the Student Success Building. The remaining money will come from the capital reserve fund.

Work should begin this semester.

The general contractor for the project is Mazzei Construction of Allison Park.

Finally, the college approved a plan to expand its Hermitage campus, BC3@LindenPointe. The college's foundation is buying the building and accepting the donation of several acres from the city. The college uses the basement of that building for classes. The donated acres will be used for parking.

Now, the college will lease the building from the foundation. This allows the college to avoid some taxes and get lower interest rates on bonds.

The board agreed Wednesday to lease the building until 2021. This year, the college will pay $139,200 in rent. In subsequent years, it will pay $300,000 annually. Any excess money the foundation collects will be returned to the college in the form of grants, Neupauer said.

Construction on that project should begin in March, and the college expects the building to be ready for the 2011 spring semester.