Lincoln Campus

General Information

History

Gaston College’s first presence in Lincoln County was in 1969 when GED courses were offered to slightly less than a 100 adults in the Reinhardt Building in downtown Lincolnton. Programs expanded, and in 1979 the Lincoln County Commissioners provided a larger facility by purchasing the vacated First Baptist Church. In 1987, Gaston College moved to the Lincoln County School of Technology, where courses were offered primarily evenings since the public school used most of the building during the days. In June 1997, the college started a renovation project to turn the former Lincolnton High School, a three story vacated structure, into the new Lincoln Center.  Contributions for the approximately 4 million dollar project were donated by the state of NC, Lincoln County, City of Lincolnton, the Timken Company, Gaston College and over two hundred local and regional businesses and individual contributors. In 1998, the college moved to the current building located at 511 South Aspen Street which serves today as the Lincoln Campus’s Main Building.  The first classes were offered in January of 1999. The Lincoln Center was renamed the Lincoln Campus on March 17, 2000 when it met the state requirements for campus designation.  The second Lincoln Campus building, Cochrane Science and Technology Building, was completed in January 2009. The lower level expansion was completed fall of 2011. The school of cosmetology became operational January 2012.

Jerry W. Cochrane Science and Technology Building

Current

The Lincoln Campus of Gaston College occupies a full city block in downtown Lincolnton, NC. It consists of two buildings. The Main Building is a 63,927 square foot facility with an estimated value of $8,064,134. The college occupies over two thirds of this building with the Lincoln County Senior Services occupying the remainder. Main Building houses the administrative, business, counseling, admissions/financial aid, and faculty offices, as well as, a bookstore, learning center, library, student area and 26 classroom/labs. The Jerry W. Cochrane Science and Technology Building is a 14,700 square foot facility housing the main computer, biology, chemistry and science laboratories and preparation rooms, as well as, other classrooms, faculty offices and a student break area.  The Cochrane Building has a current estimated value of $3,000,000.  Winter 2011, the lower level of this building, will be completed with classrooms, laboratory areas, student area and related offices to become the home of the college’s Cosmetology Program. This construction will double the building’s useable space and more than double the estimated replacement value.  Also, located on the lower level will be another general purpose classroom and two offices.  Parking is available in the main parking lot with 343 spaces and in the Cochrane parking lot with 72 spaces. With the opening of the lower level of the Cochrane Building, there will be an additional 109 parking spaces available in a newly constructed lot on South Aspen Street across from the Main Building.

With the addition of the science classrooms and laboratories in the Cochrane Building, students can complete the Associate of Arts, a college transfer degree, at the Lincoln Campus. In addition, students can complete (via actual classes plus on line courses) the Associate of Applied Science Degree Programs in Medical Office Administration, Legal Office Administration, and Office Administration. Also, diploma and certificates are offered in many of the above areas. The Lincoln Campus is home to the college’s Licensed Practical Nursing and Cosmetology Diploma Programs.  In addition to curriculum offerings, a wide range of continuing education courses are offered including ABE/GED, ESL, HRD, CRC and personal interest courses.

The Lincoln Campus served 3202 students (1954 curriculum, 1248 continuing education) during 2010-2011. This number is unduplicated which counts each student only one time regardless of the number of courses taken during the year.

Campus Information

Address:
Gaston College, Lincoln Campus

Physical Address:
511 South Aspen Street 
Lincolnton, NC 28093

Mailing Address:
PO Box 600,
511 South Aspen Street
Lincolnton, NC 28093

Receptionist: 
Phone: 704-748-5200
Fax:  704-748-1074 

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