The Science (E) Building will receive extensive renovations, thanks to funding from the state.

Two of the main buildings on Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill Campus will receive major energy efficiency and safety upgrades, thanks to an investment recently announced by the Baker-Polito Administration.

Part of a new $165 million program to make critical infrastructure upgrades at higher education campuses over the next five years, Northern Essex will receive $10 million from the state for the $12 million project.

“This is great news for the college and its students,” said Lane Glenn, NECC president. “Our Haverhill Campus is celebrating 50 years and, while the campus is beautiful and aging well, infrastructure upgrades are critically needed.”

The renovations will benefit the Science (E) Building, which houses the college’s science classroom and labs, and the General Studies (B) Building, which includes classrooms and offices and facilities for the NECC Police Academy and the Essex County Sheriff’s Academy.

In both buildings, doors, windows, floors, and railings will be replaced, electrical wiring will be updated, bathrooms and drinking foundations will be renovated, and ADA Compliance issues will be addressed.  There will also be some improvements on the exterior of the buildings.

The renovations will take 12-months to complete, and the college hasn’t been given an anticipated start date from the state, according to Mike McCarthy, vice president of administration.

Northern Essex’s Haverhill Campus opened in September of 1971. At that time, there were four buildings: the Sport and Fitness Center (D), the Applied Science Building (now the B Building), the Science Building (E), and the Classroom Building (C) (Now Spurk). The Bentley Library was completed that November, followed by the Maintenance Building (1972), the College Center (now the Behrakis Student Center, 1973) and the Hartleb Technology Center (2005). In 2020, Northern Essex opened the NECC Lupoli Institute of Culinary Arts on Merrimack Street in downtown Haverhill.

The Spurk Building, which houses most of the academic classrooms on the Haverhill Campus, went under an extensive $18 million renovation funded by the state in 2016 and 2017.

In announcing the funding, Governor Charlie Baker said “The investments we are announcing today will help our public colleges and universities better educate and train the workforce of tomorrow. The overarching goal of these investments is to modernize campus facilities to support STEM instruction, ensuring students graduate from college with skills to be ready to compete in high-demand fields.”

UMASS Dartmouth, Berkshire Community College, and Massachusetts Maritime Academy also received funding to make critical infrastructure upgrades.

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers approximately 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  Each year, 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 2,000 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley.  For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu or call 978-556-3700.