Appalachian State University is adding a new campus in Hickory. The university has bought a former commercial building for its expanded campus. At 225,000 square feet, it's now the school's largest building, surpassing the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences on the current campus.
University officials say the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area is the largest metropolitan region in the state without a major public university presence.
The new campus is within a half-hour drive of three community colleges that have admissions ties to Appalachian State.
Appalachian State enrolled a record number of students this fall, more than 20,000, but there's not much room to grow in Boone. Students and residents of Boone have both raised concerns of overcrowding in the area as a result of the university's growth.
University officials say the Hickory campus will increase access to education in the area.