WEST WINDSOR – Mercer County Community College (MCCC) reached a major milestone toward the completion of a new high-tech education facility in downtown Trenton, with the placement of the final steel beam in the crown of the Trenton Hall Annex today.

The beam is the last piece of structural steelwork in the three-story, 8,500-square-foot Trenton Hall Annex, on MCCC’s James Kerney Campus (JKC) in Trenton.

Participants in the ceremonial signing of the beam included Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson, Mercer County Freeholder Pasquale “Pat” Colavita, MCCC Board of Trustees Chair Mark Matzen, and Dr. Jianping Wang, MCCC president. Dr. Wang said the new building is a demonstration of MCCC’s commitment to Trenton, and the expansion of educational opportunities in the city.

“With the addition of the Trenton Hall Annex, students at the James Kerney Campus in Trenton will have access to an education in cutting-edge careers that are in high demand,” Dr. Wang said. “We look forward to welcoming the community to our new facility later this year, and expect to be a vibrant part of downtown Trenton.”

Located at 137 North Broad Street, anticipated completion date for the Trenton Hall Annex is August. The building will house the college’s new programs in Security Systems Technology, Cyber Security, and existing classes in Certified Nurse Assistant, Phlebotomy, and EKG.

“An investment in education is an investment in the future of Mercer County,” Hughes said. “With this commitment to downtown Trenton, Mercer County Community College is continuing to send a clear message that the city is on the move, with new opportunities for the residents of Mercer County.”

In addition to academic spaces, the ground floor will house an art gallery, made possible by a generous gift from Investor’s Bank, in partnership with the Roma Bank Foundation. The gallery will display the work of students and local artists, and will be available for a variety of college and community activities.

“You need look no further than the steel beams in front of you to see evidence of Trenton’s revival,” Jackson said. “Not only has Mercer County Community College provided a framework for a building, it is providing a framework for the future of the people of Trenton.”

Total cost of the project is $5.9 million, which includes demolition of the building previously on the site and renovations to the adjacent Trenton Hall. Funding for the project was made possible by the Building Our Future Bond Act, passed by voters in 2012. Matzen noted that the MCCC Board of Trustees adopted a comprehensive facilities master plan in 2010, which includes a substantial investment in the James Kerney Campus in Trenton.

“Mercer County Community College began in the City of Trenton and we remain committed to providing excellent education opportunities for our students and offering more degree programs in the city,” Matzen said. “As the college celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we honor our past while looking toward the future.”

MCCC's James Kerney Campus

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