Pitt Community College purchased a pair of buildings and land on the former Alliance One property in Farmville this month to use as its PCC Farmville Center for Applied Technology. 

The approximately $2.1 million-transaction, which included 7.6 acres on West Marlboro Road, was completed July 20. It gives Pitt the ability to expand its educational offerings in Farmville and the surrounding area as soon as the college can prepare the 49,700-square-foot main building and a nearby 2,924-square-foot structure for instructional purposes. 

“I’m excited about the future of our Farmville programming and happy the college is continuing to offer quality workforce training in the communities we serve,” PCC President Lawrence Rouse said. 

Dr. Dan Mayo, PCC interim Executive Director of Academic Affairs and Student Services, says programming to be offered at the new Farmville location will include short-term workforce development training for business and industry, customized industrial training, entrepreneurial opportunities, basic skills and HRD instruction, and non-credit machining training. He said the site also features space for conferences and other events. 

“PCC is hoping to utilize its new Farmville location as soon as possible,” Mayo said. “We may open the building in sections, if necessary, to speed up that process.” 

Alliance One representatives first approached PCC administrators about their Farmville property several months ago. School officials determined it would be an ideal location for a wide variety of programs and services and agreed to purchase it with a portion of the State Capital Infrastructure Funds the college was allotted in the 2021-23 biennial state budget. 

PCC Vice President of Finance/CFO Ricky Brown said Pitt’s lease on the current PCC Farmville Center building on Main Street expires July 31. He said classes at the site were shut down June 30, though, to give the college enough time to empty the building by the end of this month. Art classes that Pitt offers in Farmville, such as ceramics, were unaffected by the closure, because they are taught at the GlasStation on Wilson Street. 

Mayo says the former Alliance One buildings PCC purchased this month will allow the college to offer more programs and educational services in Farmville than ever before. In addition to being more convenient for people in that area of Pitt County, he said offering instruction in Farmville helps alleviate transportation issues for some students and time constraints for others.