Quinsigamond Community College reached a major milestone this week in the construction of its new QCC Center, celebrating the completion of the building’s structural frame with a traditional topping off ceremony attended by state and local officials, project partners and members of the college community.
The ceremony marked the raising of the project’s final steel beam, a symbolic step in the construction of the $37.4 million renovation and expansion that will transform the college’s former 1960s-era athletic facility into a modern center for workforce training, academics and student life.
Once completed, the 57,000-square-foot building will house advanced manufacturing and robotics laboratories, hospitality training spaces, flexible classrooms and renovated athletic facilities. The project also includes infrastructure upgrades and accessibility improvements intended to better serve students.
“Through careful planning, advocacy, fundraising, design and construction, the vision is now becoming a reality,” QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja said in a statement. “Most importantly, this will create opportunities for students to develop the skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce and strengthen the connection between education, industry and our community.”
The event included a ceremonial beam signing and remarks from state and local leaders, including Sen. Robyn Kennedy, Rep. James O’Day, Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, Assistant Secretary Robert LePage of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Richard Riccardi of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Commissioner Adam Baacke of the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), and Craig Skurka, operations manager for Gilbane Building Company.
“The raising of the beam is a moment for us to give gratitude and thank those who have stepped up to make this a reality,” Kennedy said in the release. “As you join into the growing skyline of Worcester, we continue to grow with you. By signing our names to these beams, we are signing our commitment to make sure the school continues to be successful.”
College officials said the project is designed to strengthen workforce development by expanding hands-on learning opportunities while modernizing one of the campus’s oldest facilities.
“This project is so important to the mission and vision of Quinsigamond Community College, the region it serves and the Commonwealth,” Riccardi said in the release. “We know that holistic student success incorporates curricular and co-curricular initiatives, and this project provides the infrastructure to check both of those boxes.”
While the bulk of the project is funded through DCAMM, college officials said it also reflects the type of higher education investment envisioned under the Commonwealth’s proposed BRIGHT Act, which aims to modernize public college and university facilities.
“I want to thank our legislative partners for championing the BRIGHT Act to date and hopefully getting it across the finish line so we can keep doing impactful projects like this one,” Baacke said in the release. “As someone whose parents both worked at community colleges, I know there are few things we do that are more important in changing the lives of residents across the Commonwealth than what community colleges do every day.”
Mayor Joseph Petty said the project represents an investment in both students and Worcester’s future workforce.
“When we look at this structure, we aren’t just looking at steel beams and concrete; we’re looking at the literal framework of Worcester’s economic future,” Petty said in the release. “True progress means lifting everyone up. By expanding physical accessibility and producing state-of-the-art, energy-efficient systems, QCC is ensuring our green energy and equity goals move forward.”
Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, the building will feature energy-efficient systems and improved indoor air quality as part of the college’s long-term sustainability goals.
The QCC Center is expected to open in fall 2027.
