Hudson County Community College says it’s pioneered the urban campus concept by integrating learning environments, cultural spaces, public areas and workplaces within Jersey City’s Journal Square. 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.
On June 18, the college hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the HCCC Center for Student Success at 2 Enos Place in Jersey City. HCCC Vice President for External Affairs, Strategic Directions and Senior Counsel to the President Nicholas Chiaravalloti served as master of ceremonies.
HCCC President Christopher Reber and trustee Pamela Gardner welcomed U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez; Hudson County Executive Craig Guy; Commissioners Anthony Romano and William O’Dea; HCCC Student Government Association President Nina Maria Resurreccion; Hudson County Building and Construction Trades Council President Patrick Kelleher and labor leaders; and HCCC trustees, students, cabinet members, faculty and staff.
Reber said growing a campus embedded in one of the nation’s most densely populated areas poses unique challenges, yet the college is 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,” Reber said. “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,” Guy said. “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 11-story center, 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, a full-size NCAA gym, a fitness center, a black-box theater, health sciences labs, 85 offices, eight conference rooms, a university center for sister colleges and partners to offer baccalaureate instruction and more.
Construction will use the newest and environmentally sustainable materials and systems. A project labor agreement assures organized labor will be well represented on site during construction. The grand opening is set 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 the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, among others.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.