Howard Community College (HCC) recently held a groundbreaking celebration for its planned Mathematics and Athletics Complex. The fused facility will be an innovative and creative approach to serving students and the community. Construction will begin later this summer with completion set for 2024.

Photo courtesy Howard Community College.

Planned for the south side of the HCC campus in Columbia, the complex will be four floors, situated on the site of the current athletics and fitness center. It will cost of $101.7 million stand at 193,000 square feet. The capital project is funded by Howard County and the state of Maryland.

The new facility will address space challenges on campus. The mathematics division is currently housed in a former office building with inflexible instructional spaces. The existing athletics and fitness center was constructed in 1969 and is operating far beyond its structural life.

“Math and physical fitness are not only important for the mind, body, and soul, but bringing these topics together is an innovative academic approach at Howard Community College. Math underpins much of the science behind athletics, physical agility, and fitness, and this new Mathematics and Athletics Complex will allow HCC students to study velocity, balance, force, and strength as it relates to their bodies and their physical environment,” said Maryland Sen. Clarence Lam, co-chair of the Howard County Delegation. “This new building will help ensure that HCC students are able to learn math in an innovative environment so that they are prepared with the necessary skills and knowledge for the jobs of tomorrow.”

The complex will feature a math learning center, class labs, a study lounge, maker space and a research area. The athletics area will include a competition gym, multipurpose gym, locker rooms, a classroom, a fitness center, and strength and conditioning room. Student-athletes at Howard Community College currently compete in five men’s sports (basketball, track and field, cross country, lacrosse, and soccer), six women’s sports (basketball, track and field, cross country, softball, soccer, volleyball, and the newest – softball) and three co-ed esports teams (League of Legends, Overwatch, and Rocket League).

In alignment with its value of sustainability, the college anticipates that it will receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for such features as the green roof and outdoor spaces.

The architectural firm for the Mathematics and Athletics Complex is Ayers Saint Gross. The construction manager is Gilbane Building Co.