The Center for Rural Development at Somerset Community College has become a national model for rural development initiatives. A partnership between the University of Kentucky and several non-profit organizations, the center combines social, economic and educational development within one facility that has the ability and technology to reach out to a 40-county area and the world beyond.

The design team developed a facility that would create a bold new image for the development of Eastern Kentucky. Highly visible from Highway 27—one of the main corridors of the area—the facility is a symbolic statement of the area’s commitment to economic growth. The curved glass curtainwall system and window design were so successful, they were incorporated into the facility’s logo and tagline—”A window to the future.”

The facility includes economic development offices, exhibition, banquet and conference facilities, teleconferencing capabilities, and a television studio linked to Kentucky Educational Television as well as its 1,700 statewide downlink locations. The facility also includes a 760-seat theatre with full stage, fly loft, orchestra pit, sound and lighting systems, and a green room.

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