MassBay Community College Breaks Ground on New Framingham Campus Building

Contact:
Liz Cooper
ecooper@MassBay.edu

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (September 29, 2021) — MassBay Community College broke ground on the first building constructed specifically for the College in its 60-year history. The building will be known as the MassBay Center for Health Sciences, Early Childhood, and Human Services, and will be located in the City of Framingham. The Center and the programs offered there will play a crucial role in the economic and workforce development of the MetroWest region.

“We are delighted that MassBay will have a building specifically designed to suit our needs at last,” said MassBay President Dr. David Podell. “This new facility will enable us to expand our partnerships, develop more skilled employees for the regional workforce, and provide an affordable education in state-of-the-art labs and classrooms. We will now have a permanent home in the City of Framingham. It is a major step forward for our institution, for Framingham, and for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

“Today’s groundbreaking is an exciting moment for MassBay Community College and for the entire Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our administration is proud to support this project through the Commonwealth’s capital budget and we look forward to the impact that this new campus will have on MassBay’s important educational programming in key fields like health care and the health sciences.”

“With this new campus, MassBay will be able to expand its footprint and impact as it trains the next generation of workers in growing STEM fields like health care,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We are grateful that our administration has been able to collaborate with MassBay and so many other partners to make this day possible.”

The 68,500 square foot, four-story Center has been designed as a net-zero building. The Center will be located at 490 Franklin Street at the corner of Mt. Wayte Avenue in Framingham and replaces MassBay’s currently leased building at the Farley School at 19 Flagg Drive in Framingham.

“MassBay provides much-needed, quality education and jobs training in critical fields like intergenerational care, health care and human services,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka. “I have been proud to fight for this project and see it through to fruition. Going forward, this institution will serve as an asset to our region and will be placed to lead on innovating and developing solutions for sectors of our economy in need of high-skilled professionals. I am grateful to have MassBay in Framingham, and I look forward to our continued partnership.”

With the support of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka, the project has been approved and supported by the state. The construction phase will be supervised by the Commonwealth’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM). Watertown, MA architectural firm Sasaki Associates, Inc. are the designers, and construction will be led by Lee Kennedy Co. of Quincy, MA.

“MassBay is uniquely positioned to prepare thousands of students for high-paying, in-demand jobs. The Center will be their training ground and their launching pad, offering them affordable opportunities to become the skilled professionals of tomorrow, meeting the needs of our employer partners,” said President Podell.

Today’s groundbreaking ceremony included remarks from Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka, Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer, Secretary of Education James Peyser, DCAMM Commissioner Carol Gladstone, MassBay Board of Trustees Chairman Tom Peisch, MassBay President David Podell, and MassBay nursing alumna Rachel Casey. The Framingham High School Marching Band and the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra performed music for the event, and Framingham’s Keefe Technical High School’s culinary program provided cupcakes for the reception.

The building is scheduled to open in summer 2023, with students to begin classes in September 2023.

MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. MassBay students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond.