Northampton Community College Fowler Family Southside Center Additions and Renovations

Northampton Community College’s Fowler Family Southside Center is located in a former Bethlehem Steel office building. Constructed in 1942, the six-story structure offers approximately 177,700 gross square feet of space. The college selected MKSD architects for a phased renovation of this building which has taken place over the last decade.

The latest phase included a new main entrance to the building, greatly expanding the main lobby and creating a new identity for the building.

First-floor renovations included the relocation of the Fab Lab from an upper floor to the first floor and tripling its square footage, the development of a new Center for Entrepreneurship, and the renovation of 3rd-floor Health/Nursing Education spaces.

The overall program elements included:

Fab Lab
• Faculty office space
• Welding and machining
• Woodshop
• Computer innovations and robotics
• Plastics and solids lab
• Collaboration and meeting space
• Delivery and storage areas

Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Director and faculty offices
• Large classroom space
• Collaboration space
• Mini-meeting/Seminar spaces
• Kitchenette

Common Space
• New cafe and kitchen/Prep areas with flexible seating
• Expanded and renovated lobby
• Updated 1st floor toilet rooms
• New finishes, lighting and building systems throughout
• Gallery space for student work and casual gatherings
• Central welcome desk and ‘one stop’ shop

Health Education Department Renovations
• Faculty and staff offices
• Nurse aid classrooms