Hudson County Community College Begins Construction of New 11-Story Center for Student Success
June 13, 2024
Groundbreaking takes place on June 18 for Journal Square Campus tower that will house a gymnasium, theater, classrooms, conference rooms, offices, and much more.
June 13, 2024, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) pioneered the urban campus concept by integrating
learning environments, cultural spaces, public areas, and workplaces within Jersey
City’s Journal Square, the heart of Hudson County, New Jersey. In establishing the
Journal Square Campus, the College became an essential part of the neighborhood that
engages and serves the County’s residents and businesses where they live, and has
been the catalyst for the area’s development.
At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 18, the College will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the HCCC Center for Student Success at 2 Enos Place in Jersey City, New Jersey. HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber and Trustee Pamela Gardner will welcome Hudson County Executive Craig Guy and other elected officials as well as representatives of the Hudson County Building and Construction Trades Council and labor leaders, and HCCC students, cabinet members, faculty and staff.
Pictured here: Architectural renderings of aerial and street views of Hudson County Community College Center for Student Success now under construction in the Journal Square area of Jersey City, NJ.
Dr. Reber said that growing a campus embedded in one of the nation’s most densely populated areas poses unique challenges and that the College was keenly aware of its overarching need to serve as a good steward of the neighborhood.
“The Center for Student Success was designed to centralize and consolidate all of our student services in one convenient location and complement the architecture of the surrounding area. It is the final segment of the Hudson County Community College Facilities Master Plan,” Dr. Reber stated. “The County of Hudson has partnered with us through every step of our development so that we may provide our neighbors with the very best academic experiences possible. We are thankful for the ongoing support of County Executive Craig Guy, former County Executive Thomas DeGise, and the Hudson County Board of Commissioners.”
“This project will serve thousands of students here at Hudson County Community College. The HCCC Center for Student Success will be the epicenter of study, creativity, activity, and collaboration between students and the surrounding communities,” said Hudson County Executive Craig Guy. “Through this new Center for Student Success, HCCC and the County continue to work together to ensure everyone has equal opportunities to excel in their chosen field and drive economic development in the area.”
The eleven-story Center for Student Success, a 153,186 square-foot, mixed-use tower, is being constructed one block from the Journal Square PATH station on an existing HCCC-owned parking lot. It will replace several of the College’s small, segregated, and aging buildings. The tower plans include 24 classrooms; expanded student services areas; student common spaces; full-size National College Athletics Association (NCAA) gymnasium; fitness center; black-box theater; health sciences laboratories; 85 offices; eight conference rooms; a “University Center” for sister colleges and partners to offer baccalaureate instruction; and much more.
The HCCC Center for Student Success construction utilizes the newest and environmentally sustainable materials and systems. A Project Labor Agreement assures that organized labor will be well represented on site during construction. The grand opening is scheduled for Fall 2026.
Funding for the $96.3 million tower is supplied by proceeds from the sale of HCCC properties and the College’s reserve funds; the County of Hudson; and New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE), among others.