NECC President Lane Glenn, spoke at Harbor Place.

Northern Essex Community College students and alumni will be able to pursue their bachelor’s degrees through UMass Lowell at Haverhill’s new Harbor Place on Merrimack Street in downtown Haverhill.

Psychology, criminal justice, and business administration bachelor programs that UMass Lowell has been offering right here on the Northern Essex campus may be among the programs moved to Harbor Place beginning in the Fall of 2017, along with some expanded educational offerings.

It was announced Friday morning that UMass Lowell, which will occupy the second and third floor of the five-story building that sits on the site of the vacant Woolworth building at the corner of Merrimack Street and Route 125, will continue to offer bachelor degree programs, and will begin offering professional, continuing education programs.

“UMass Lowell will grow its programming at Harbor Place and offer students more options for completing their degree programs,” according to UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney. “We will expand our advising and support services on site for students in our new home as we continue to provide a world class education.”

In addition, one of the two floors will be dedicated to the creation of an “Innovation Hub” that will include co-working, private office and “prototype makerspace” to support the development of technology-related startups companies in the region. The Hub will also offer flexible meeting and conferencing space that is available to community and business of the University.

The Hub will be modeled after the Innovation Hub UMass Lowell launched on its Lowell campus last year. The idea is to create a space for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into businesses that can tap the university’s faculty resources and administrative support.

Rep. Brian Dempsey said with this announcement UMass Lowell brings with it “much more than its prestigious reputation”. He praised Moloney for her “unwavering commitment” to Harbor Place and the City of Haverhill.

Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said the project always had the support of Dempsey who had the vision and leadership to make Harbor Place possible on a site that had been abandoned for 48 years.

“This is a great moment for our city,” Fiorentini said.

“With today’s announcement we are excited at all of the opportunities that lie ahead to expand access to a high quality NECC/UMass education here in Haverhill and across this part of the Merrimack Valley,” said Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn.

He noted that more than 150 NECC students transfer to UMass Lowell each year.

“For many years now, the University of Massachusetts in Lowell has been our students’ number one choice when transferring,” he said. “Still, even though Lowell is not very far away, distance can be a barrier for many students, particularly if they are raising families and working full-time, as many of our students do. That’s why we have been pleased to host UMass-Lowell on our campus here in Haverhill for the past few years, offering a number of classes to local students as they have been planning their move here to Harbor Place.”

Sally Cerasuolo-O’Rorke, an NECC trustee and consultant to the Greater Haverhill Foundation, a private economic development initiative, has overseen the redevelopment of seven key parcels for Harbor Place.