By Lindsay Tice,Staff Writer

Lewiston-Auburn College’s tiny, single-building campus will grow if a new $83 million state bond goes through.

The Appropriations Committee approved the statewide bond plan Wednesday. If the Legislature OKs it this week, the issue will go to voters in November.

The $83 million bond would pay for two dozen projects statewide, including research and development and land conservation. In education, the University of Maine and community college systems would each get $5 million for building renovations across their campuses.

Lewiston-Auburn College, which is part of the University of Southern Maine, got its very own $2 million project on the list. The money would pay for a new building to house the headquarters of College for ME – Androscoggin, a group working to double the number of college-educated people in the county.

“We’ve got to have a central place to make that happen,” said Zark VanZandt, dean of the college.

The building would contain first-floor space for research, advising and other services. A director would run the center and reach out to businesses, encouraging them to help get their employees into college.

The first floor would also provide three classrooms for Lewiston-Auburn College. The rapidly growing school has only one building now and people often struggle to find free space.

Officials would also like to build a second floor, with additional classrooms and offices. The $2 million bond likely won’t pay for all that, VanZandt said, but it should be enough for the building shell and the first floor.

Lewiston-Auburn College last received bond money in 2003 when it got $2 million to buy the property next door. The college last expanded in 2001 as part of a $3.5 million project that added or renovated more than 20,000 square feet.