John C. Phillips is a vice president and the managing principal for 91影视鈥檚 Buildings + Places market in New Jersey. He is leading the project team implementing Middlesex College鈥檚 CIO Plan.

This is the third article in a three-part series highlighting our partnership with Middlesex College and Middlesex County to develop the College鈥檚 strategic investment plan.

Middlesex County, located in central New Jersey, is uniquely positioned to support economic development and educational opportunities. Along with its proximity to major metropolitan areas, the population of the County is diverse 鈥� in fact, it is home to the state鈥檚 largest Asian population. Middlesex College, the two-year public institution located in the Township of Edison, adds to the County鈥檚 diversity with its majority minority student population. Realizing the almost limitless growth potential the County and College have through their partnership, they collaborated on a master plan that supports equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) from the classroom to the court.

Reaching these development goals requires a judiciously executed series of steps, which is where our team excels. Serving as the consultant for Middlesex College鈥檚 Community, Innovation and Opportunity (CIO) Strategic Investment Plan, we developed key recommendations referred to as the five 鈥淏ig Moves鈥� of the College鈥檚 master plan:

1. The Multipurpose Community Complex

2. The Spine

3. Pathways and Places

4. Campus Life

5. The Edison Park Destination Athletic Complex

In this final article of our Middlesex series, we will focus on the first and fifth Big Moves: the Multipurpose Community Complex and the Edison Park Destination Athletic Complex. Through these two proposed improvements, the County and College will offer welcoming access to equitable, inclusive spaces where all members of its diverse community 鈥� from students to the general public 鈥� can find their place and be supported through every step of their educational, professional and personal journeys.

Live, learn and grow

A major aspect of the master plan is to maximize professional, academic and personal connections 鈥攍ocally and regionally 鈥� by providing services that better support students during their educational experience. The new Multipurpose Community Complex serves this purpose. Consisting of approximately 33 acres at the 鈥渇ront door鈥� of the campus, it will incorporate contemporary facilities and outdoor gathering places for the student population, visitors and the greater community.

The largest structure planned for this complex is the Multipurpose Community Venue, a new, open-air, 4,500-seat facility. The venue will accommodate an array of activities such as concerts, cultural gatherings, sports and recreation events, and more. Aligning with New Jersey鈥檚 鈥淕arden State鈥� mentality, the venue will also host a weekly farmers market, which will support small businesses and provide access to fresh food for students and locals. The new Student Center, discussed in our second article in this series, is also included in this complex and it, too, will provide on-campus food options for students and visitors during events.

Another addition to the complex is the new Middlesex County Park, which will feature an expansive playground, amphitheater and a comfort station, all connected by well-lit paths. The park will be an inclusive, safe space for casual recreation for the campus and local communities.

A destination for local and regional sports

Outdoor sports and recreation facilities inject energy, wellness and added revenue into a community. The County鈥檚 plans to redevelop the existing Thomas A. Edison Park into the Edison Park Destination Athletic Complex will provide a centralized place where local and regional athletes can compete. The complex will include combination baseball, soccer and lacrosse fields; tennis courts; a track; and a highly anticipated new cricket field. The complex will be built on a 95-acre site on the campus鈥檚 southeastern border where the Thomas A. Edison Park is currently located.

The new athletic complex also includes a pedestrian bridge that will connect the complex and the Multipurpose Community Venue to the College鈥檚 central pathway, called The Spine. This bridge will be a physical representation of the connection between Middlesex College and Middlesex County, embodying their dedication to becoming a more accessible destination and allowing students and the community to share resources and easily get involved in athletic events as players, officials, fans or volunteers. 

Bringing the community and campus together

Middlesex College鈥檚 mission is to provide access to a quality, affordable education for a diverse population, to support student success for lifelong learning, and to strengthen the economic, social and cultural life of the community. The five Big Moves of the Middlesex College鈥檚 strategic investment plan pave a clear path forward for the College and the County. The Multipurpose Community Complex will fulfill the need as an inclusive space for students and non-students to share art and culture, while accessing resources and services that help them thrive. The Spine will connect with new pathways and gathering places to strengthen the campus鈥檚 accessibility and aesthetics. A focus on improving campus life inspired plans for a new Student Center, Academic Workforce Development Conference Center and on-campus magnet high school expansion. And the Edison Park Destination Athletic Complex will act as a central hub for athletics, promoting overall wellbeing and pride while generating revenue for maintenance of the County鈥檚 park system. Through their ongoing partnership, Middlesex College and Middlesex County continue to define what it means to be the heart of the community 鈥� a place where everyone belongs.

Read the first article in this series, Growing together: Thinking beyond the traditional college master plan, where we discussed how Middlesex College鈥檚 strategic investment plan was developed in concert with Middlesex County. The second article in this series, Growing together: Campus planning that advances a thriving diverse community, reviewed three of the five 鈥淏ig Moves鈥� identified in the College鈥檚 master plan: the Spine, Pathways and Places, and Campus Life.

Read more detailed information about Middlesex College鈥檚 CIO Strategic Investment plan here:

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John C. Phillips is a principal and associate vice president for 91影视鈥檚 Buildings + Places business line in the New York Metro. Focusing on higher education clients, he is leading the project team implementing Middlesex College鈥檚 CIO Plan.

This is the second article in a three-part series highlighting our partnership with Middlesex College and Middlesex County to develop the College鈥檚 strategic investment plan.

Creating a sense of belonging on a college campus isn鈥檛 a groundbreaking goal 鈥� but extending that vision into the greater community is. Middlesex College, a public institution in central New Jersey, worked in collaboration with Middlesex County to create a master plan called the Community, Innovation and Opportunity Strategic Investment (CIO) Plan to do just that 鈥� make the campus a welcoming, inclusive gathering place for students and the greater community. Our master planning team was brought in to advise the College and the County on how to turn their shared visions into reality. After thorough market research, evaluation, extensive stakeholder input and collaboration, we developed five innovative recommendations, referred to as 鈥淏ig Moves鈥� for the master plan:

1. The Multicultural Community Complex
2. The Spine
3. Pathways and Places
4. Campus Life
5. The Athletic Complex

In this article, we鈥檒l focus on three of the moves: the Spine, Pathways and Places, and Campus Life.  

Establishing 鈥淭he Spine鈥�

Most of the College鈥檚 facilities and activities are currently located in the center of campus, so the first step was to create a literal pathway to connect students, faculty, residents and visitors to the entire length of the campus. This primary pathway, known as 鈥淭he Spine,鈥� is almost three-quarters of a mile long and will run north to south. It will span from the proposed Multipurpose Community Complex on the north side of the campus, through the West Quad, between what will be the new premier cricket field and extending to a future pedestrian footbridge that connects people to the center of the County鈥檚 Thomas Edison Park, located adjacent to the campus and future home of the new Athletic Complex. The Spine makes navigating the College campus much easier for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Creating pathways and places

Along with The Spine鈥檚 centralized route, the College will develop a series of pathways connecting people to other areas of the campus, from academic and recreational facilities to greenspaces. One key connector will be 鈥淭he Loop,鈥� a multimodal, one-and-a-half-mile paved pathway around the campus that links to Thomas Edison Park, providing a safe thoroughfare for walkers, runners, wheelchair users, families with children in strollers, and cyclists. The Colt鈥檚 Concourse pathway will become the primary cross axis for pedestrian activity linking campus facilities from east to west.

Along with creating more efficient connections throughout campus, this network of pathways is designed to showcase the majestic oaks that are defining Middlesex characteristics. Other plans to enhance placemaking include new greenspaces with dedicated places for active gatherings or studying, and improved wayfinding, allowing visitors to safely navigate and enjoy the campus experience.

Supporting campus life

Enhancing campus life is an important consideration for the College鈥檚 administration, and it鈥檚 also an opportunity to create an integrated, inclusive experience for the greater community. Initiating this Big Move began with identifying educational experiences that can fill local and regional business and industry gaps, specifically in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, and developing a 106,000-square-foot Academic Workforce Conference Center to support those experiences. The two magnet schools on campus 鈥� one that is currently in operation, the Edison Academy, and another that will be added as a part of this CIO Plan 鈥� will provide direct access to college-level courses and expanded vocational education to prepare students for their future careers and better support the 21^st century workforce.

Further changes to better help students thrive academically, mentally and physically include a new 30,000-square-foot Student Center and renovations to the existing Physical Education Building, which upon completion will serve as a community wellness center. Outdoor gathering spaces will also be expanded, providing more areas for students and the community to learn, create and play. To support the large population of diverse cricket players and teams in the county, a new cricket field will be developed on the southern portion of the campus.  A concept for on-campus housing is also in the works, which if approved, will include residence halls for students and multifamily residential apartments that will include affordable housing options for non-students and families.

Turning ideas into impact

The College鈥檚 and County鈥檚 expansive aspirations to create inclusive communities, drive economic growth, maximize mobility and improve sustainability aren鈥檛 unique. But the power of the College and the County joining forces 鈥� working with unified, strategic goals to become a transformative difference-maker 鈥� makes a real impact.

The holistic approach applied by our master planning team takes all stakeholders into consideration, from students and faculty to neighbors and county residents, and government and political leaders, to successfully bring these big ideas to life. In partnership with the College and the County, we developed a clear, concise and collaborative path for redefining the campus environment, characterized by its accessibility, diversity and inclusivity 鈥� establishing a supportive, welcoming destination where students and community members alike will thrive.

Read the first article in this series, Growing together: Thinking beyond the traditional college master plan. In our third article, Growing together: Supporting equitable opportunities for all, we discuss two more Big Moves: the Multipurpose Community Complex and the Athletic Complex, and how they will support Middlesex College鈥檚 holistic vision for life, education and collaboration within Middlesex County and greater region.

The post Growing together: Campus planning that advances a thriving, diverse community appeared first on Blog.

John C. Phillips is a principal and associate vice president for 91影视鈥檚 Buildings + Places business line in the New York Metro. Focusing on higher education clients, he is leading the project team implementing Middlesex College鈥檚 CIO Plan.

Typically, a college and the municipality it鈥檚 located in have separate visions for their futures. But in 2021, Middlesex County, located in central New Jersey, saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between campus and community as part of their county-wide Destination 2040 Strategic Plan. The County requested that Middlesex College develop a master plan that would encompass opportunities for economic, educational and recreational growth beyond the traditional scope of campus planning. The resulting master plan 鈥� the Middlesex College Community, Innovation and Opportunity (CIO) Strategic Investment Plan 鈥� focuses on guiding the College鈥檚 growth and supporting the diverse needs of the student population alongside those of the surrounding community. The plan鈥檚 end goal is to make Middlesex County a regional destination by promoting development that benefits the College, the County and beyond.

The 91影视 team was brought on to provide professional consulting services to implement Middlesex College鈥檚 CIO Strategic Investment Plan, which was developed in two phases. The plan established recommendations and guidance for future campus development such as major and minor renovations, new buildings, relocations and demolition projects, which will also support growth across the County.

Phase one 鈥� laying the groundwork

Phase one focused on discovery 鈥� identifying the existing conditions and making recommendations intended to guide campus developments over the next decade. We conducted several market studies to determine regional economic growth and accompanying workforce and housing needs. These market studies demonstrated that the campus鈥檚 location and resources could be a catalyst to support Middlesex County initiatives and spur future collaboration opportunities across the region, further highlighting this unique partnership between the College and the County.

Phase two 鈥� taking action

Phase two began by understanding academic aspirations and future facility needs to support anticipated growth while simultaneously identifying opportunities to optimize land use that would serve the campus and the community. In this phase, we focused on identifying key areas for development and improvement to be implemented at Middlesex College over the next decade. These recommendations were categorized in the plan as the 鈥淔ive Big Moves.鈥�

A big step forward

The first of these Big Moves is developing the Multipurpose Community Complex, which will create an active and diverse community destination at the campus鈥� front door. The complex is an investment in creating a safe, inclusive gathering space for cultural events, job fairs, a farmers鈥� market and a variety of other activities that support overall community wellness.

鈥淭he Spine鈥� is the second Big Move that will connect the campus and Thomas Edison Park, a community park located on the campus鈥檚 border, making the College more pedestrian-friendly and the park more accessible.

The third Big Move, 鈥淧athways and Places,鈥� encompasses several projects that will enhance mobility on the campus and strengthen placemaking. These pathways will connect the entire campus, providing gateways to academic and recreational areas and offering new greenspaces located throughout the grounds. There will also be increased access to public transit, better connecting the College to the County.

Big Move number four is 鈥淐ampus Life,鈥� which will focus on improvements that support a thriving student, faculty and staff population while creating a sense of connection and belonging among all, including visitors. This includes building a new residential complex, a student center and wellness center, alongside expanding vocational education through the Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies, a high school located on the College鈥檚 campus. A crucial goal within the fourth Big Move is providing education and experiences that will fill local industry gaps, especially within Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields; healthcare; and equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) positions.

The fifth Big Move focuses on the Athletic Complex located next to Thomas Edison Park. The biggest addition is the cricket field, which supports the plan鈥檚 commitment to ED&I by providing a central location for local cricket teams. The remainder of the complex will feature several multisport fields, a track and a playground available for student and community use.

Next steps 鈥� setting up success

This CIO Strategic Investment Plan, built around the Big Moves, advances the vision and goals of Middlesex College and Middlesex County 鈥� primarily to support the shared objective of improving campus visibility, increasing access to activities and facilities, and enhancing the overall campus experience to spur growth for the College, and stimulate economic growth for the County.

The collaboration between the College and the County has opened the door to comprehensive new ways of thinking about and planning for the future by 鈥淟eading Together鈥� 鈥� to borrow from the County鈥檚 slogan 鈥� by providing accessible education offerings, alleviating industry skills gaps, improving quality of life, and nurturing a more inclusive, diverse community to ultimately become a sought-after destination in the northeastern United States.

In our second article about working with Middlesex College and Middlesex County, we discuss in greater detail the concepts that bring three of the Big Moves 鈥� 鈥淭he Spine,鈥� 鈥淧athways and Places,鈥� and 鈥淐ampus Life鈥� 鈥� to life, creating a sense of place on the campus where students and the local community can thrive. Our third article discusses two more Big Moves 鈥� 鈥淭he Multipurpose Community Complex鈥� and 鈥淭he Edison Park Destination Athletic Complex鈥� 鈥� that offer equitable, inclusive spaces for all members of the student body and the general public.

Photos courtesy of Middlesex College

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