April 6, 2005 -- The American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) will open its doors to its first freshmen class this August 22nd in facilities at the Noisette project on the old Charleston Naval Base. These new facilities will provide a home to the College’s initial class of students in the nation’s only college dedicated to the traditional building arts.
“ Opening the College here will allow us to plan, prepare and deliver the campus at McLeod in a manner that ensures that the Plantation is treated with the respect it deserves and that it will be protected in the best possible wa... ”
The College announced a two-year lease agreement with the Noisette Company for space that will serve as classrooms, a library, workshops and academic affairs offices. The future permanent home of ACBA remains historic McLeod Plantation, which the College purchased from the Historic Charleston Foundation last December.
David AvRutick, President of the American College of the Building Arts, noted: “The facilities that are being created at Noisette for the College are first rate and will offer a superb place for our students to start their educational journey with the American College of the Building Arts. As we plan for the wonderful adaptive reuse of McLeod Plantation as our permanent campus, we will open the College’s doors with another fantastic adaptive reuse of an exciting historic property. Opening the College here will allow us to plan, prepare and deliver the campus at McLeod in a manner that ensures that the Plantation is treated with the respect it deserves and that it will be protected in the best possible way. It is a winning scenario for our students, for the College, Noisette and McLeod Plantation.”
John Knott, President and CEO of the Noisette Company, LLC, added, “Certainly, the location of the first campus of the American College of the Building Arts at Noisette is an exciting prospect. ACBA students can learn from actual restorative projects ongoing at Noisette, in addition to other revitalization projects at the former Navy Base.”
The College, which will launch with 48 students (eight per major) and grow to approximately 150 over four years, is the only four-year college in the nation to offer a dedicated degree in the building arts. Students will major in one of six disciplines: architectural stonework, architectural metal, carpentry, masonry, plaster, and timber framing. Summer sessions will feature apprenticeships around the nation that will immerse students in their chosen field. With the successful completion of their coursework, students will receive either an Associates or a Bachelors degree in Applied Sciences.
Currently, the College is located in the historic Old City Jail in downtown Charleston. The permanent campus will be created on the nearby 330+-year-old McLeod Plantation. Both sites offer the students and faculty the chance to work together in a living laboratory that encompasses history and beauty. The inaugural class will study in transitional classroom and workshop facilities at Noisette, and use both McLeod and the Old City Jail as their learning labs.
For more information, phone the college at 843 577 5245.
