UTICA, N.Y. -- Utica College has raised half of the money needed to build a new construction management facility, and Senator Chuck Schumer is encouraging the federal Economic Development Administration, which relaunched in 2008, to fund the rest.

Twelve to 15 students graduate from the program each year, but college officials say that number is expected to grow to at least 25 in the next few years. To accommodate a program of that size, the school is working on a plan to create a 15,000 square foot facility worth $4.1 million. Officials have already applied for a federal grant to pay for the remainder.

Leaders say this facility will provide students the best technology to start their careers.

“We’ve been designing the building with people in the industry so it’s going to have state-of-the-art materials, labs and things that, it would be such a feather in our cap for Utica College to have these types of things available for our students,” said Utica College President Laura Casamento.

College officials hope to begin construction in the spring.