Housatonic Community College
Expansion Project

RATIONALE FOR EXPANSION
CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS
PROJECT SUMMARY – PHASE ONE
PROJECT NARRATIVE

RATIONALE FOR EXPANSION

Housatonic Community College (HCC) has enjoyed unprecedented growth since moving to its new campus in January 1997. The last of the community colleges to acquire permanent facilities, HCC had spent more than 25 years in inadequate, leased space where it had not been able to realize more than a fraction of its potential enrollment. Since the move, Fall 1997 credit enrollment was up 24% over the preceding fall; Spring 1998 exceeded the previous spring, the first in the new campus, by 14%, and the annualized increase was more than 19%, putting HCC in the forefront of enrollment gains not only on a State, but also on a national basis. This trend has continued with additional increases of 7.9% in Fall 1998, 8.5% in Spring 1999, and 8.05% in Fall 1999. Enrollment growth has continued from that point until Fall 2006 when, primarily due to lack of space, enrollment stabilized.

Among the steps which the college has taken is the development of a weekend program with courses offered on Saturdays during Fall 1998 and Spring 1999, and on both Saturday and Sunday beginning in Fall 1999 and continuing to the present. In addition to this expansion on weekends, a considerable number of courses have been moved to less desirable times in the afternoon and evening due to a lack of space on campus.

Housatonic serves the largest service region of any community college in the state, a population of approximately 440,000. It is anticipated that the college enrollment potential from this population base should be in excess of 5500 credit students. Involvement in a well-developed continuing education program, including services to business and industry, should exceed that same level. All of this assumes the availability of adequate classrooms in which to schedule the courses and programs.

There is currently no room for expansion of offerings at any of the critical time periods. One must always keep in mind that attendance patterns at community-technical colleges are typically bi-modal, mornings and evenings, largely due to the work and family responsibilities of the student population. Moving popular and/or necessary courses to the more available afternoon hours is usually not an alternative since students simply cannot attend class at those times. Also, there is no room to provide for the development of new programs or even the expansion of current programs. Although the greatest current need is for general purpose classrooms, there are also needs for student spaces, the growing Theater Art Program, and a large multi-purpose area.

Housatonic Community College plays an important role within its service region. It stands on the brink of a new future, full of promise and opportunity, with increased potential for meeting the needs of its constituents. The lack of adequate facilities would not only insure that potential is not realized, but it would also necessitate a retreat from the types and levels of service which have been planned for the coming years in direct response to requests from residents and local business. It would stifle the potential of an institution which, having prevailed over adversity for thirty years, has not yet had the opportunity to become the best that it can be. Neither the State nor the Greater Bridgeport Region could well afford that loss and, as a result, the State has approved and funded a significant Expansion Project for the college.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

PROJECT SUMMARY – PHASE ONE

Renovate 146,700 gsf
New Construction 24,500 gsf
Performing Arts Center Renovation 3,500 gsf

General Contractor: Newfield Construction

Project Priorities: security, general classrooms, student spaces, display of art collection

Project Features:

PROJECT NARRATIVE

This expansion project involves the renovation of the former Sears building as well as new construction and the renovation of the existing Performing Arts Center. The completed facility will house the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Business, and Humanities departments, and will have approximately 30 classrooms of various sizes, 10 computer classrooms, open computer labs, foreign language and ESL labs as well as a number of special purpose rooms. All instructional areas will be media rich and the entire building will be wireless capable.

A prominent feature will be an enhanced number of student spaces featuring formal study and social lounge areas as well as a number of informal student gathering niches. Dedicated space has been provided for Student Life, student government and student club activities. A Wellness Center is provided for both students and staff which will be located near the main entrance.

The building will have an expanded college bookstore, open and accessible to the public, and a second cafeteria area. A large events space, capable of multiple configurations, with support service will provide the opportunity to host college and community programming for up to 500 persons. All spaces have been designed with special provisions to appropriately display the college’s extensive art collection, one of the largest of any two year college in the United States.