Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center

NMC Thrive Campus Master Plan

Introduction

Northwestern Michigan College is building a better future for our community. To help deliver on the promise of NMC Next, the College’s strategic plan, NMC has developed a new Campus Master Plan — a comprehensive blueprint that charts the course for the development and enhancement of our campus infrastructure.

This dynamic and forward-thinking plan serves as our roadmap to create an environment that fosters excellence in education, supports student success, and meets the evolving needs of our community. By strategically envisioning the future, identifying priorities, and leveraging resources, we aim to provide state-of-the-art facilities and learning spaces that inspire creativity, collaboration, and innovation.

Through this Campus Master Plan, we commit to building a campus that reflects our commitment to educational excellence and creates a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty, and staff.

Goal

The goal of this process was to rewrite the 2012 campus master plan to shape a new ten- to twenty-year vision for the College’s physical environment that meets the evolving campus needs of the College and its students, faculty, staff and community members.

Objectives

  • Develop a strategy to optimize campus space utilization by conducting a robust, all-season analysis of usage for all buildings and spaces including classrooms, offices, storage, outdoor areas and other real estate and identifying opportunities to consolidate and optimize services.
  • Identify key opportunities for the College to leverage unutilized and underutilized facilities and real estate to generate new revenue streams in support of operations.
  • Build a phased, long-term plan for renovations and new construction that reflects the College values towards flexible learning and work. Create agile work and learning spaces which can meet evolving needs of students, faculty, staff and members of the community. This plan should estimate the capital funding requirements and ensure they align with the economic realities of the College.
  • Take an inventory of the characteristics and condition of all real property owned by NMC including facilities, utilities, infrastructure and other real estate, then develop comprehensive solutions to address any deficiencies.
  • Provide analysis of student housing on campus, including current capacity, historical occupancy, anticipated future demand, potential new locations and recommendations on renovation or reconstruction of our current housing assets including North Hall, East Hall and the Apartments.
  • Create a strategy for land utilization, acquisition and/or disposal.
  • Create a campus transportation and parking plan that summarizes needs and opportunities for new or enhanced walking paths, ideas to improve transportation to/from/among campuses, and analysis of parking needs based on an assessment of lot utilization.
  • Create a framework for sustainability across campus facilities focusing on energy, water, waste, carbon, transportation, materials, landscape, land use, site development and building design standards. Outline opportunities to reduce energy consumption by optimizing services.

Deliverables

  • An inventory of all College-owned buildings and real estate, their characteristics, condition, existing property leases and any zoning implications
  • Campus space utilization analysis and strategy for optimization
  • Key opportunities to leverage property to generate new revenue streams to support operations
  • A phased plan for construction and renovation projects, including estimated expenditures
  • An analysis of student housing on campus and related opportunities
  • A strategy for land utilization, acquisition and/or disposal
  • A campus transportation and parking plan
  • A framework for sustainable energy and opportunities to reduce consumption through optimization of services

Process

Timeline

2023

2024

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

Kick off

Campus Utilization & Optimi­zation Study + Validate Facilities Assessment

Analysis of Student & Workforce Housing

Initial Master Planning Studies & Recommen­dations

Stakeholder Groups Sessions

Master Plan Refinement

Draft Review

Board Approval

Legend

 

Key Project Milestone

 

Core Tasks

 

Initial Coordination

Stakeholders

Group Name

Role

Responsibility

TowerPinkster

Consultant

See Project Objectives and Deliverables

Project Team

Project Management

Coordinate with consultant regularly to ensure objectives are being addressed, lead internal data gathering, report to Steering Committee

President’s Council, Board of Trustees and Foundation Board representatives

Steering Committee

Prioritization and Decision

Planning and Budget Council, Leadership Council, Faculty Council, Staff Council, Campus Sustainability Committee, and more

Employee Feedback

Input and feedback

Students, including SGA and Student Groups

Student Feedback

Input and feedback

Community Members

Community Feedback

Input and feedback

Building & Site Committee

Oversight

Support and guidance for Project Team and Steering Committee

Board of Trustees

Oversight

Approval of Master Plan

 

Campuses


2012 Campus Master Plan (PDF)


Thank you!

Regular communication and transparency are essential to this process. We will continue to update this page as the work develops. Thank you for your help in co-creating a shared vision for our collective success!


To ask questions, or to provide ideas and feedback, email masterplan@nmc.edu.


NMC Next logo

View the plan here (59 MB)


Meetings

Community Listening Session
Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023,⋅6–7:30 p.m.

  • Location: NMC Great Lakes Campus, 715 E Front St, Traverse City, MI
  • Purpose: Public forum to seek feedback from the community regarding NMC's development of a new Campus Master Plan.

DEC. 13 Workshop Presentation

DEC. 13 Live Polling Results

Community Listening Session
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024,⋅6–7:30 p.m.

  • Location: Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center Room 106/107, NMC Front Street Campus, 1701 E Front St, Traverse City, MI
  • Purpose: Public forum to seek feedback from the community regarding NMC's development of a new Campus Master Plan.
  • Parking Options: Cedar Lot or Cherry Lot (Note: parking permit not required; ticketing will not be enforced during the event)

JAN. 24 Workshop Presentation

JAN. 24 Live Survey Responses


In the News

NMC trustees bless expansion plan

RECORD-EAGLE
June 26, 2024

New NMC Campus Plan Outlines Possibilities For Student Housing Expansion, Eastern Avenue Parcel

THE TICKER
June 20, 2024

NMC Eyes Student Housing, More 'Vibrant' Main Campus As Part Of In-Progress Campus Master Plan

THE TICKER
December 1, 2023

NMC Preps For First Campus Master Planning Process In 10 Years

THE TICKER
October 28, 2022