Glimmering new windows framed in period sage metallic edges reveal a flurry of activity destined to produce a welcome landmark on the downtown Danbury landscape. On the second and third floors, newness abounds. Labs, classroom, offices, conference rooms are all taking shape from a vast expanse of the 20,000 square feet that were gutted to partition spaces in the new location of the Naugatuck Valley Community College’s Danbury Campus. They all display clean white walls accented by the colors of the rainbow in an historic American Williamsburg palette, except the President’s office which is an earthy, adobe, Caribbean pink called “minstrel heart.” Needless to say color creates atmosphere and the leaders at NVCC are preparing a colorful canvas for learning.

The first floor entry is a sanctuary for the lives that will be changed here. The J-shaped information desk stands behind a stone compass inlaid into the floor. Suitably named the “Earth Compass,” this universal symbol of guidance and direction that transcends time signals intention. Enter here and you will be guided to your own greatness. For logistics and scheduling, the friendly staff behind the desk is here to help with information, directions and even bus tickets to the Waterbury campus some 40 minutes away.

For the outside décor, NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis convenes with the building owner to select design elements that make a suitable entrance and establish the new landmark campus at the corner of Main and West Streets, at 41°23'37.1"North by 73°27'05.9"West. It is truly an exciting time for NVCC!

Crisp bright canvas banners emblazoned with the NVCC logo match an indigo canvas awning that covers the entrance to the building on the drawing board. Sturdy turn-of-the-century iron urns filled with evergreen topiaries and seasonal flowers stand guard at the entrance. They promise a new era downtown. Moving these off the rendering and onto the building will take some aesthetic appreciation on the part of the city zoning officials. When the downtown evolves everybody wins. The new campus brings foot traffic peopled by a steady stream of students with appetites for learning and savoring the downtown experience while embarking on a culturally rich commitment that promises a better future for all.

Fall Classes begin on August 29, 2016. They will move to the new Danbury Campus at 190 Main Street on September 12, 2016. Approximately 1,300 students will be enrolled at the new campus. Buses are running between the Waterbury and Danbury locations. The NEASC-accredited Danbury Campus offers Business Management, Liberal Arts and General Studies degrees along with credit certificates in Administrative Support and Business Management from start to finish. Students can also register for any of NVCC’s 88 credit degrees or certificates when starting here, including an Advanced Manufacturing Technology certificate offered in collaboration with Henry Abbott Technical High School.

Danbury credit students receive a free unlimited Housatonic Area Regional Transit bus pass. In addition, the college recently partnered with Peter Pan bus lines to offer its students a transportation link between NVCC’s Danbury and Waterbury campuses at a significantly reduced rate of $2.00 per one-way trip.

It is easy to see that those blue banners are waving for many great reasons!