FAMU TAKES POSSESSION OF NEW CRESTVIEW PROPERTY FOR NEW CAMPUS

Crestview is fast becoming a center of influence for higher education. Some of the reasons are, (1) A lot of folks are moving to this location and most of them are military personnel. (2) With the military personnel, they receive a lot of money for higher education thru 100% tuition assisitance while on active duty, and the varius GI Bill education programs after they retire and separate from the service, (3) the location of the Crestview on the I-10 cooridor make it assessible to folks in surrounding cities and town. Keep you eye on this, there will be more coming and don't think the other local colleges (Troy University, NWF State University, University of West Florida) are sitting on their heals through all this. Not only will this town be a military town, it will be a college town, as well.


By MICHAEL STEWART Florida Freedom Newspapers

CRESTVIEW — A ceremony to turn the historic Alatex building over to officials with Florida A&M University took place Saturday, almost three years to the day after efforts first began to bring a pharmacy to downtown Crestview. Crestview Mayor David Cadle and City Clerk Janice Young signed a deed transferring title to Tallahasseebased FAMU in front of the Alatex building on Woodruff Avenue. “Today, with this ceremony, we are making one of the dreams of reaching beyond our main campus to help educate and build other communities in the Panhandle a reality,” FAMU President James Ammons said. Ammons was joined by Henry Lewis, the dean of the university’s College of Pharmacy, along with members of the school’s famed Marching 100 band, which performed at one point under the direction of Cadle, a former band director at Crestview High School. Cadle called the event a “momentous occasion.” “This building will once again regain its rightful place as the leading economic center of our downtown area, and its presence will be honored and preserved.” Opened in 1937 as a garment factory that was once the major employer in Okaloosa County, the Alatex building struggled for years to find purpose despite its placement on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, it will serve as the newest satellite campus for FAMU. There, FAMU will offer students a PharmD degree, which leads to a pharmacy license. Future plans call for additional courses that will lead to masters and doctorate degrees in public health and health care management, as well as health administration, occupational therapy and physical therapy. A contract to renovate the building should be let in September, with the first 40 pharmacy students arriving by August 2011, Lewis said. The program is expected to expand. “At build-out, we will have about 160 pharmacy students,” Lewis said. Donald Palm, FAMU assistant vice president of academic affairs, said preliminary plans also call for the addition of a dental school by 2014. “Our program will deal with pediatrics and general dentistry,” Palm said. “We will be taking in classes of about 75 students per year.” A school of nursing could also be opened in the 40,000-square-foot building. Lewis said a study by the Florida Workforce Development Agency estimates the school will jump about $9.2 million annually into Crestview’s economy and will lead to the creation of about 95 new jobs. Ammons credited state Sen. Durell Peaden, R-Crestview, who first approached him about a FAMU campus in Crestview, with helping push the project through the Legislature. “This is a big day for Crestview,” Peaden said. Crestview resident Claudis Dale agreed. “Crestview is stepping up,” Dale said.