The Southeast Community College Student and Academic Support Center is a vital resource to every SCC student. As part of the college’s master planning program, this project was designed to modernize, expand, and add critical academic support functions and services along with fire and life safety upgrades via a 26,000 SF addition and 80,000 SF of renovations. The building houses numerous departments including academic advising, career services, information technology, enrollment, tutoring labs, various other support services, and more.

Since its original construction in 1979, the existing building has undergone a number of renovation and addition projects to accommodate the needs of the college’s growing student population and update facilities. But none before have been so dramatic in scope as this: the addition and renovations touched more than 20 different departments, resources and amenities for SCC students and staff. The project also addressed critical fire and life safety needs throughout the building that included fire suppression in the existing gymnasium, firewall separations, and egress, all in compliance with current fire and life safety code.

As the veritable nerve center in the heart of SCC’s primary campus location, this project necessitated complex staging requirements in order to keep parking open, maintain safety separations, preserve critical campus operations and resources, and minimize disturbances for pedestrian and vehicle traffic around the site. The project team successfully addressed these challenges and unified a patchwork of additions completed over more than 40 years into a cohesive, functional, and inviting space for SCC students and staff.

Photo Credit: Corey Gaffer