Sinclair Community College’s building 20, also known as the John E. Moore Sr. Technology Center, is home to the Fire Sciences program and the Automotive program.
It is located just down the street from the rest of the main campus and may be a mysterious place to students who have never ventured past the student parking garage.
The Fire Science and Automotive departments were once housed under the Engineering division at Sinclair until the division for Science, Mathematics and Engineering were rearranged. Two lab areas house the fire trucks and there is one automotive shop for students to do their work.
The Automotive Technology Department is designed to create automotive technicians for dealerships, independent service facilities and other auto-related industries. It is a hands-on program with a variety of program options.
Students can earn a two-year degree in Automotive Technology at Sinclair. In addition, students can take these classes to help obtain their Automotive Service Exam (ASE) certification.
The Fire Science Department is designed to provide an understanding of all fire science related issues. These include fire protection, prevention and investigation. It offers many programs in relation to fire science and careers within the field.
Building 20’s layout is unlike many of the other buildings surrounding Sinclair’s campus. It is still full of classrooms, labs and study spots, but the design of the building is unique.
When you first walk in, it is said that it looks like a road if you walk in upside down. The lights in the entrance of the building were designed to look like street lights. They are yellow, rectangular and spaced like the yellow lines of the road.
The first floor is also home to the automotive showroom. This is the first thing that is seen when one walks in, and it’s a nice change from some of the other buildings.
From the second floor, you can look down into the classrooms from the mezzanine. You can see the lecture rooms, rooms for the fire science program and even the one where students are working on vehicle parts. A garage filled with cars is also in full view.
When it was first built, there was an idea that cars would be able to drive up and down the hallways. However, that is not a possibility today.
The back of the building has a beautiful view of the Miami River. There are nice seats put there so it would be an amazing spot when the weather is nice for lunch. The only place to get food inside the building is from the vending machines.
Adding a little place for hot fresh food would only add to the amazing atmosphere within building 20.
Briana Spurlock
Reporter