The final structural beam for Naugatuck Valley Community College’s Center for Health Sciences was hoisted into place during a topping off ceremony on Friday, October 9 on NVCC’s main campus. Adorned with an American flag, the beam bears the names of campus leaders and community partners who signed it for posterity before it was placed atop the new structure. The ceremony was hosted by construction manager Morganti, whose president, Nabil Takla, vowed to deliver a building to the College that is a “jewel.” But even more precious, he noted, will be the students, faculty and staff who will occupy the structure.

The 85,000 square-foot Center for Health Sciences will be located in a renovated and expanded Founders Hall, which was the original site of Waterbury State Technical College and is the oldest building on the NVCC campus. It will be the new home of NVCC’s Nursing, Physical Therapy Assistant, Radiologic Assistant and Respiratory Therapy programs, as well as other industry-responsive programs to be created over the next decade.

“The topping off of the NVCC Center for Health Sciences is a significant moment as it symbolizes the promise of a better tomorrow for our students,” said NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. “The new center will bring a sense of powerful completion to the east end of our Waterbury campus.  NVCC’s Allied Health programs are outstanding and deserve the additional support and better space that the new building will provide. The administration, faculty and staff at the College and our colleagues in the CSCU system office have worked very hard to make this project a reality. The support of Governor Malloy, Mayor Neil O’Leary and our legislative delegation signifies faith in the good work we do at the College and the importance of allied health careers to our state and service region.”

The new state-of-the-art facility will include patient simulator labs, classrooms, faculty and administrative offices, computer labs, student study areas, a collaborative learning classroom, a 125-seat lecture hall and a multipurpose room with seating for 320. The building will boast the latest in energy-efficient technology, including LED lighting and is expected to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the $44 million project was held on April 17. Construction is progressing ahead of schedule and is expected to conclude in the spring of 2017. Classes in the new space are on track to commence in the fall of 2017.