- A rendering of the Lafayette Hall expansion at Housatonic Community College. Courtesy of Housatonic Community College
Housatonic Community College has begun its expansion and renovation of Lafayette Hall with a new 46,000 square foot addition including a new Welcome Center to better serve students.
The renovated spaces will also enlarge the college library and academic support center, and create new science labs and additional offices for student services.
“The new space will allow us to expand academic programs and provide new ones to meet today”™s employment requirements,” said college president Paul Broadie. “We are projecting adding programs specifically in STEAM (Science, Engineering, Arts, Math) courses.”
The $37.5 million project is expected to create more than 600 construction-related jobs.
The Bridgeport college moved from its location in the former Singer Metric Building at 510 Barnum Ave. to Lafayette Hall at 900 Lafayette Blvd. in 1997. At that time, the college had approximately 2,700 students enrolled and immediately experienced a significant enrollment increase, according to the college.
Current enrollment is 5,369 students.
To accommodate HCC”™s  growth, the college opened its second building, Beacon Hall at the southern perimeter of the campus in the former Sears building, in 2008. The additional 174,500 square footage added classrooms, offices, a large multi-use events center, wellness center, students activities center and enlarged book store.
The college will continue all normal procedures and activities throughout the construction process.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2017, in time for the college”™s 50th anniversary.
