Writer: MIKE JAMES
6/5/2007 Ashland Daily Independent

ASHLAND -- Ashland Community and Technical College has a potential downtown jewel in the former C.H. Parsons building, and wants to make sure everyone knows it.

To garner financial and community support for its planned $10 million renovation of the Ashland landmark, ACTC is planning to develop a virtual design for its exterior and interior.

The computerized design will bring curb appeal to the aging structure and serve as a marketing tool, said ACTC Director of Advancement Frank Salisbury.

The Woodlands Foundation has pledged $10,000 to the Community & Technical College Foundation of Ashland Inc. to assist in funding the design and is looking for more money, Salisbury said.

To create the design, an architectural firm would gather measurements and digital photographs, then use specialized software to create what would be a short movie, essentially a virtual tour, he said.

The tour would show classrooms, conference rooms, elevators and other interior features, as well as exterior views of the front facade. "A lot of people can think and imagine, but when we can see it in three dimension it makes it come alive in our minds," Salisbury said.

The ultimate plan for the structure at the corner of Winchester Avenue and 17th Street is to use it as a convention center, offices and classrooms for ACTC's health occupation programs.

Ashland businessman Perry Madden gave it to ACTC in December.

At that time, plans called for work to start this summer, with visible improvements to the facade by the end of the year.

Whether that will happen is now uncertain, said ACTC President Greg Adkins.

The college is still pursuing funding for the project. That's where the virtual design will come in handy, he said.

Also, since the renovation ultimately will figure into the revitalization of downtown Ashland, city and community officials could use (the virtual design) in Frankfort and Washington for marketing as well, Salisbury said.

The building dates to 1926. Once remodeled, it will house a conference center to accommodate as many as 500, classrooms and labs for nursing and health occupation courses, a pre-employment testing center, and an entrepreneur center.

"I believe this is one of the most important projects for the revitalization of downtown Ashland," Salisbury said.

The $10,000 donation for the virtual design is part of ACTC's Fulfilling the Promise fundraising campaign, which by now has brought in more than $4 million.

The original goal was $3.2 million. "Surpassing $4 million in gifts tells me our community thinks we are headed in the right direction and appreciates what we are doing," Adkins said.