Project Scope: A Community Center with Dining

Image of external view of community center

Learning at Mount Holyoke extends far beyond the classroom. Students discover their purpose and passions through interaction with peers, professors, coaches, and mentors. Our global population means that people with diverse ideas and experiences share space. This interaction creates communities, connections, and a unique civic and social fabric that promotes trust and respect. Mount Holyoke is committed to supporting a sustainable, inclusive environment that respects individual needs and allows for expression of the plurality of our community.

In support of Mount Holyoke's core ideals as articulated above, the proposal for the renovation and expansion of Blanchard Campus Center into a community center with dining currently includes:

  • The renovation and renewal of three floors of Blanchard Campus Center
  • The addition of 34,000 square feet of dining space, capable of seating 1,000 in a variety of private and open areas
  • Consolidation of student life services in a centralized location
  • A unity space dedicated to cultural understanding and civic engagement
  • Full ADA compliance
  • A coffee house/pub where food and drink facilitate social gatherings
  • Renovated space to enhance visibility for student organizations with professional support to amplify their reach in the community

See the interactive floor plan.

Investing in this transformational project

  • Estimated project cost at $50 million
  • Funding projected at 50 percent philanthropic investment, 50 percent bond funding
  • Estimated operating and efficiency savings targeted at $700,000 annually
  • Construction designed to LEED Silver specifications

Inspiring philanthropic leadership

  • An anonymous donor has committed the first $5 million gift to the project.
  • To encourage additional philanthropic investment, the same individual will match $10 million in gifts* for commitments that begin at $250,000.
    *As of April 25, 2016, commitments toward this matching challenge are at $5.7 million.
  • Naming opportunities available pending formal project approval by Mount Holyoke’s Board of Trustees this spring