Massasoit Breaks Ground on $52 Million Renovation Project

Event celebrates first construction phase of project – a new 26,000ft² Science Building.

BROCKTON, Mass (July 16, 2025) – Massasoit Community College today broke ground on the $52 million Transformation Through Renovation (TTR) Project at its Brockton Campus. The event celebrates the beginning of construction for its new 26,000ft² Science Building. Next year, construction will begin on a new 26,000ft² Health Science Building.

The TTR Project is the first major renovation of an academic building at Massasoit since 1978 – when the second phase of the campus was completed. The current Science Building was built in 1972. The new building will feature state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms, offices, student spaces, and a greenhouse that have been designed to meet the needs of 21^st century college students. Students will receive their education in a facility outfitted with the latest technology providing them with vital background and experience as they pursue careers in the Massachusetts biotech industry.

This includes a lab that will house the College’s STEM program, a long-term, graduate-level research project that focuses on native pollinators. Program alumni include many Ph.D. graduates and candidates, and the team’s work has been presented at national and international conferences.

“Massasoit has always provided our students and the communities we serve with an accessible, affordable, and high-quality education,” said Bill Mitchell, president of Massasoit Community College. “Massasoit’s new Science Building will truly transform how we deliver in-demand STEM education to the next generation of students in Brockton and beyond.”

“I am incredibly grateful to our partners on Beacon Hill, in our community, and on our campus for their support,” said Mitchell. “Their efforts have made the Transformation Through Renovation Project possible.”

The project received funding from the Commonwealth after decades of advocacy. Planning and construction have been managed by Massasoit and the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM). The architect is Jones Architecture, and the general contractor is Commodore Builders, both of which have a long history of working successfully with Massasoit.

“Sustaining the Commonwealth’s leadership in education, the sciences, and healthcare depends on maintaining our competitive advantage of a well-educated workforce. The Healey Driscoll Administration is committed to supporting our public higher education partners, especially our community colleges, by providing the academic spaces needed to meet the needs of these important sectors,” said Adam Baacke, Commissioner of DCAMM. “We are incredibly proud to collaborate with Massasoit on this exemplary project, and we look forward to seeing it through to completion.”

In the three years since funding was announced, faculty, staff, students, and project partners have diligently planned and designed the buildings. This process included site visits to area colleges, collaboration with industry partners like MassBioEd and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and community engagement sessions that have become a model for DCAMM and Jones Architecture to use in the solicitation of community input.

The renovations will include much-needed updates to meet current technology, accessibility, energy, and life safety standards. The project will free up deferred maintenance funding to be allocated to other buildings that will in turn create parity across campus. Inclusive design principles were key throughout the planning process to ensure that the Massasoit community was engaged in creating spaces designed to promote belonging and wellbeing.

“Massasoit’s students deserve the best education that we can provide, and our faculty and staff deserve the best teaching spaces possible,” said Thomas Carroll, Jr., chair of the Massasoit Community College Board of Trustees. “This project will truly change lives as we continue to do what we do best: provide an unparalleled yet accessible experience to our community.”

The new Science Building will be located within the former Liberal Arts Building and is scheduled to open for the Fall 2026 semester. The current Science Building will then be gutted and transformed into a new Health Science Building that will house the College’s Nurse Education and Respiratory Technology programs. The Health Science Building will open in time for the Fall 2027 semester.

An album that includes original 1970s construction photos, historical classroom images, and renderings of the new Science Building is available online.