Montgomery County Community College is in the midst of an exciting and ongoing period of change and growth. Established in 1964, the College moved from Conshohocken to the 186 acre Blue Bell Campus in 1972. In 996, the College opened the Pottstown Campus in the center of the Borough. The College services approximately 21,500 credit students annually and 11,250 non-credit students, 87 percent are county residents, 40 percent of students are full-time, 24 percent of students are minorities, and the average age is 26.
In the spring of 2011, the firm of Spillman Farmer Architects was engaged to prepare a master plan for physical growth for both campuses with an approximate ten year time horizon. This plan builds on the College’s previous facilities master plan (2002-2010) and its companion piece update (2005-2006). The 2012-2022 master plan is designed to advance the accomplishment of the College’s new strategic plan: “Beyond Access: The Strategic Plan to 2016.” While this plan specifically advances the plan’s strategic goal to “Create A Sense of Place to Support Learning,” it also facilitates accomplishment of the plan’s five other goals, including anchoring the plan’s primary goal of increasing access and student success.
From the start, and as with previous planning processes, the planning effort was designed to be as inclusive as possible. The President’s Cabinet, with additional representation from the facilities team, formed the Planning Steering Committee. The College community at large, at both campuses, was engaged through two sets of open forums at the beginning of the planning process and in the final stages. In addition, the College community responded to a detailed facilities/master plan questionnaire with the results integrated into much of the planning and Steering Team conversations.
In 2012, the Board of Trustees approved the College’s Facilities Master Plan to 2022. The plan includes an ambitious renewal program for the nearly 50-year-old Blue Bell Campus and to continue the expansion of our Pottstown Campus. The plan positions the College to meet current and future enrollment demands and to support the College’s dynamic academic programs.
Blue Bell Campus
Health Sciences Center
As a full remake of the current Physical Education Building, this project will meet the current and future workforce needs of regional employers by supporting the expansion and modernization of key health sciences programs like nursing, dental hygiene, medical laboratory technology and medical assisting, and exercise management programs like nutrition and health fitness professional. The project also includes flexible spaces to allow the College to develop new workforce programs in this critical industry cluster. The project also includes enhancements to recreational and athletics facilities to support the College’s goals of building student and community engagement. This project is a carry-over from the 2002-2010 master plan with a feasibility study for this project completed in 2010.
Science Center Addition and Renovations
A comprehensive backfill space plan must be in place to transition spaces formerly housing Health Sciences programs into general purpose classrooms or additional spaces to support growing STEM programming. Within this full remake of the Science Center is an opportunity to renovate the Theater and add to the backstage area for ADA compliance and improved support facilities. This includes the construction of additional seats on a new balcony to increase theater capacity to 450 seats and the construction of a new quad entrance with a renovated lobby and restrooms. In addition, the plan calls for the construction of new parking lots north and east of the Science Center to serve the theater/auditorium. The completed project will support expansion of STEM programming, expansion of theater academic programming, and expansion of the College’s Lively Arts series.
Facilities Management Relocation
Remove the Quonset Hut on the opposite side of Cathcart Road and move operations into an addition on to the current Facilities Building.
Retail Center Enhancements
Replace the north end wall with glass to create an enticing retail opportunity for the Bookstore and other auxiliary services operations that will benefit from increased visibility.
Develop Updated Deferred Maintenance Plan Site
Entry between the Science Center and the Advanced Technology Center - remove the loading dock and make this major academic quadrangle entry point more pedestrian-friendly and inviting.
Main Quadrangle Improvements
Rework the walkways, and strategically place trees and meadow grasses. Open up view corridors between the building entrances.
New Linear Quadrangle at the Health Sciences Center
Build new quadrangle and remove the trees that visually disconnect this building, once fully renovated, from the rest of the campus.
Additional Athletic Fields and Support Facilities
Improve the athletic fields, support facilities and parking.
Reconfigured Parking and Entrances
Add strategically located parking, improve campus entrances, and improve safety in the parking areas to include new vehicular access to the Children’s Center.
Recreational Trail
Build a campus wide trail that also ties in to the Whitpain Township trail system.
Develop Parking Analysis and Wayfinding Plan
Pottstown Campus
South Hall Improvements
Renovate the 100 level to make it more attractive and functional including a café/retail store; additional classroom; better lounge space; space designed to support integrated enrollment services, additional student club space, new finishes, etc.
North Hall Café
Renovate the art studio into a café/gathering area.
University Center Renovations
Develop the AAA building into a state-of-the-art instructional facility to support University Center partners and College-based workforce development programs.
Site
- Develop Updated Deferred Maintenance Plan
- New Walkway Along College Drive and Just South of South Hall
- New Walk Development to the University Center
- Partner on New Arrival Development at Corner of College Drive and Hanover Street
- Develop Parking Analysis and Wayfinding Plan