JWCC trustees approve $1.567 million bid for renovation of science labs on Quincy campus

QUINCY — The John Wood Community College (JWCC) Board of Trustees held a special board meeting on Jan. 27 to approve a bid for renovations to physical science labs on its Quincy campus. 

Trustees accepted the low bid for $1,567,700 from Maas Construction as the contractor for the project, which involves renovations to four science labs and restroom upgrades in JWCC’s Science and Technology Center. Shaped by input from JWCC science faculty, the labs’ design emphasizes the creation of more interactive, flexible and collaborative spaces to enhance the educational experience. 

The lab renovation will modernize the space, which is crucial for students taking classes in anatomy and physiology, microbiology and physics, all of which are foundational to healthcare, engineering and other pre-professional degrees. The project will begin this summer. Construction is scheduled for completion by fall 2025. Architechnics, the architectural firm leading the project, reviewed plans and renderings of the labs with trustees during the meeting.

All labs will be housed in JWCC’s Science and Technology Center, the first of the series of buildings constructed as part of the college’s Quincy campus. The center was completed in 1999. 

JWCC’s master and strategic plans call for a systematic renovation of spaces based on factors including facility age, curriculum and community needs, and student and public use. In the last four years, the college renovated other spaces in the Science and Technology Center to upgrade computer science and graphic design labs and student collaborative spaces. The college prioritizes projects based on student needs and input from students, faculty, staff, business and industry and the community. 

“This renovation project is an investment in our students’ learning environment and the region’s workforce,” JWCC President Bryan Renfro said in a press release. “The students who use these labs are the nurses, physical therapists, engineers, surveyors, surgical techs, medical assistants and even doctors who will serve our communities in the future. They deserve the best facilities to learn the foundational science they need to be successful as they pursue their careers. This is not just an investment in our buildings and infrastructure. It’s an investment in the most valuable resource we have — our students.”

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the JWCC Board of Trustees will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 19 on the Quincy campus.