Wayne County (Mich.) Community College has broken ground in downtown Detroit on a $25 million building that will focus on health, wellness and education.
The Detroit News reports that City Center facility is the final construction project in the college district’s 20-year “Pathways to the Future” strategic plan. The building will sit next to the college's Downtown Campus and is expected to be complete in spring 2019.
“City Center is the zenith of our capital plans,” says Mary Ellen Stempfle, chairwoman of the community college's board of trustees. “City Center provides spaces for disciplinary meetings, teachings and interaction between students and their instructors that today’s programs in higher education demand. It’s a hybrid facility that consolidates workforce development and training programs for our staff and students.”
Programs that will be offered in the building include occupational therapy, physical therapy, biomechanics and culinary arts. The building also will house a gymnasium for the school's basketball program. The teams now play home games at the Northwest Activities Center on Detroit’s west side.
"The Health and Wellness Education Center at WCCCD will provide both traditional fitness programs and health and wellness services," the college district's capital improvement plan states. "These programs and services will be available to WCCCD students and citizens of the community. As well, certificate and associate degree programs will be offered to WCCCD students who seek careers in wellness and fitness fields.
"Many programs will be developed in partnership with employers such as hospitals, corporations, and
governmental agencies."
The Wayne County Community College district has 70,000 credit and non-credit students across six campuses.
