With repeated swipes of its five 6-inch steel teeth at the end of its outstretched 38-foot-long arm, an excavator Thursday morning began to shred the roofing and tear through walls of two buildings at Butler County Community College in preparation for the construction of the college's $9 million, state-of-the-art Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building.

Contractor Murin and Murn, Glassport, began razing the college's century-old shipping and receiving facility, built when the Oak Hills Golf Course was located on what became BC3's main campus in Butler Township, and the college's 28-year-old maintenance building.

In their place will be the high-tech Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health building, whose construction could begin in the third quarter of this year. The building could open in 2023.

The 25,000-square-foot facility will feature a hospital-like setting and house the college's Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health. The Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building will provide an immersive learning environment with skills laboratories, simulated medical-surgery rooms and simulated ICU rooms.

The demolition and construction are part of the college's $18 million south campus project, which includes the new 10,000-square-foot operations building that now houses the college's shipping and receiving, and maintenance staff.

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