Indian Capital Technology Center is saving thousands of dollars on building costs and helping students learn construction.

ICTC carpentry students are putting up the frame and will do the roofing for a new administration building on ICTC’s Muskogee campus, 2401 N. 41st St. E.  If timing is right, electricity students will work on the new building’s wiring, Assistant ICTC Superintendent Tony Pivec said.

Pivec estimated the technology center is saving about $100,000 in construction costs by having students work on the structure.

“It also depends on how much electricity students get to do,” Pivec said.

Dirt work and foundation work on the 5,000-square-foot administration building began in September, he said.

ICTC is building a new administration building west of its current structure because the current administration building is to be torn down and replaced by an allied health/nursing class facility. ICTC and Connors State College plan to build adjoining facilities as part of a joint health care education program.

ICTC Carpentry instructor Kurt Henry said students began working on the new administration building shortly after Thanksgiving, and the wood frame started going up about two weeks ago. Henry expects to have the frame work and roof work done by the end of the school year in May. He said students might not have time to do drywall work on inside walls by the time school lets out.

Pivec said school officials know the student construction work would take longer than work done by contractors. However, it is a good opportunity for the students, he said.

Two classes are working on the building, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Carpentry student Lisa McPhetridge of Wagoner said she has learned how to put up frames and how to use a nail gun. She said the biggest challenge has been lifting the walls and dealing with the cold weather.

Classmate James Luster of Muskogee said he has had to deal with stipulations architects put in the plans.

Luster’s wife, Samantha Luster, also is helping with the construction, even though she is not taking the class. She is a cosmetology student at ICTC.

“I get bored in the morning, so I come out here and help,” she said.

Henry said work the students do not finish by the time the school year ends will be done this summer by contractors.

Pivec said officials hope the building will be done by August. Bids for the allied health/nursing building could be taken in September with construction completed by fall 2014, he said.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.