A $3.7 million federal grant and a matching grant will enable Itawamba Community College to build manufacturing training areas and training rooms in its new Belden Center.

ICC last month bought the 250,000-square-foot building from Furniture Brands International for $1.8 million.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Rep. Travis Childers, D-Miss., announced the grant by the Economic Development Administration on Friday.

The money was made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as the stimulus bill.

“During today’s tough times, this important funding will help north Mississippi produce a skilled and competitive work force, create jobs and promote economic development throughout the region,” Childers said. “Through the Recovery Act, EDA awarded $150 million nationwide, and I am extremely proud that ICC-Tupelo received a significant portion of this funding.”

ICC has relocated its non-credit programs within the school’s Economic and Community Services Division at its Tupelo campus to the Belden Center. The programs include Adult Basic Education, Workforce Investment and the Mississippi Corridor Consortium’s Toyota-related training.

Also, the WIN Job Center will move to the Belden Center by the end of September.

“The project is a 50-50 match, so actually, it will be a $7.4 million project by the time it’s complete,” said James Williams, ICC’s vice president of economic and community services.

He added that funding matches have been secured for the project, which should be finished by this time next year.

Williams said the grant was made available because of the potential for adding jobs through the Belden Center, whose primary focus is work force development and training.

“Our business partners in the community have committed to further growth, and you can’t get a grant without it,” he said. “That was a strong part of the proposal we put forth in applying for the grant.”

Williams said the move to the Belden Center created another benefit – more much-needed room at ICC’s Tupelo campus.

“We moved here in July and freed up a lot of classroom and office space on there,” he said. “Enrollment has really jumped, and there wouldn’t have been any room for all the students if we weren’t out here.”

Contact Dennis Seid at (662) 678-1578 or dennis.seid@djournal.com.