BRUNSWICK — Southern Maine Community College celebrated its deed transfer from the U.S. Navy with a symbolic demolition ceremony on Tuesday morning.

SMCC President David Ortiz, state Sen. Stan Gerzofsky, D-Brunswick, and Steve Levesque, executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, swung the first sledgehammers into a wall at Building 151 at Brunswick Landing, which the college is renovating into the Maine Advanced Technology & Engineering Center.

The building will be made compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and will be renovated into classrooms and laboratories. Until the construction is complete, SMCC plans to hold classes in a second building, which will eventually become a residence hall.

The college expects to receive deeds for three more buildings at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station later this fall.

Levesque said he was excited to see deed transfers progressing at Brunswick Landing.

“The college is a cornerstone of our redevelopment program,” he said, noting that SMCC is the first entity other than MRRA and the town of Brunswick to receive property from the Navy.

SMCC is planning a grand opening of its Mid-Coast campus next fall. The college estimates 2,000 students could attend at the new location.

Emily Guerin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or eguerin@theforecaster.net. Follow Emily on Twitter: @guerinemily.

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