Officials from one of Hudson County’s most prominent higher education institutions officially celebrated the beginning of construction at a modern facility that will add new classrooms and resources to the burgeoning Journal Square community.
On June 17, dignitaries from Hudson County Community College (HCCC) broke ground on what will be the Center for Student Success. Jersey Digs broke the news about the approvals last February at 4 Enos Place, previously the site of a surface parking lot.
The parcel, situated between one of the college’s buildings and the Plaza Apartments, is sandwiched between Enos Place and Jones Street just off Summit Avenue. The future building, designed by NK Architects, will consist of an 11-story tower plus a “mechanical penthouse” that rises 180 feet.
“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,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “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.”
The Center for Student Success is slated to include 24 state-of-the-art classrooms, expanded spaces for student services, and centralized offices for Continuing Education and Workforce Development.
Other portions of the building will feature a black box theater, a full-size NCAA regulation gymnasium and fitness center, a University Center for sister colleges, a new healthcare lab, new student common areas, and administrative offices for the college.
The total cost of the tower is $96.3 million. Hudson County announced in late 2022 that they committed $35 million in funding towards the project and the tower also snagged a $2.2 million grant from the federal government.
The remainder of the project is being financed with proceeds from the sale of HCCC properties and the College’s reserve funds, through the County of Hudson, and with support from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE).
The Center for Student Success construction will utilize the newest and environmentally sustainable materials and systems and a Project Labor Agreement in place assures that organized labor will be well represented on site. The grand opening of the complex is scheduled to take place before the fall 2026 school year.
The project adds to a busy construction landscape across Journal Square, which is growing in ways not seen in generations.
