Piedmont Technical College holds beam-signing event to mark milestone in expansion of Family Life and Conference Center

Piedmont Technical College recently celebrated a milestone in the expansion of the Family Life and Conference Center, which is part of a flurry of construction taking place on the college’s Greenwood Campus and elsewhere.

PTC President Dr. Hope E. Rivers joined staff members, students and community leaders in signing a steel beam that completed the framework for the expanded Family Life and Conference Center.

Speaking to students gathered at the event, Rivers said, “You all are the reason why we all work so hard making sure that you have exactly what you need.”

Dr. Dennis Lambries, who is chairman of the PTC Area Commission, said the expansion project serves as “another example of how working together we can do great things not only for our students and their future but also for the community we serve.”

The ongoing $23 million expansion project, which is scheduled to be completed early next year, will essentially double the size of the Family Life and Conference Center, enhancing its ability to serve as a multipurpose facility for PTC students and the campus community while also acting as a vital hub for business and industry conferences and a venue for other types of public gatherings. The facility’s modern design will feature large exterior glass panels that will allow sunlight to flood the interior, inspiring an atmosphere of openness and vitality.

James Medford, board chairman for the PTC Foundation, said the new space will provide a venue for hosting large and small events at the same time – something that is greatly needed in the region. The foundation, state government and the college are providing financial support for the expansion project.

Trentsie Williams, president and CEO of the Greenwood SC Chamber of Commerce, said the Family Life and Conference Center expansion will help move the community forward.

“We are really excited to see the future uses of this facility from conferences to meetings to celebrations,” Williams said.

In addition to the Family Life and Conference Center expansion, work is underway on the nearby $16.1 million Self Regional Healthcare Center for Health Sciences, which also is slated for completion in early 2027. An outdoor welding lab was recently finished, and a groundbreaking was held last month for a facility that will play a key role in an exciting tiny house initiative. 

The $14.3 million Saluda County Center for Manufacturing Excellence also should be finished in early 2027. The regional hub for manufacturing education and workforce training is expected to attract new businesses and industries to Saluda County.

These projects are part of a comprehensive strategy to make sure that PTC has first-rate facilities, Rivers said.

“We have been going through this process now for about five years trying to change the landscape of the college,” she said.