DMACC is about to transform into a destination community college campus.
At least, that is the plan after the construction of a new state-of-the-art YMCA facility right here on the DMACC Ankeny campus.
Construction of the new $15 million YMCA building is set to begin right after the end of this spring semester in May.
According to the DMACC website, construction is scheduled to be completed in either late 2016 or early 2017.
The construction will combine Buildings 4 and 5 together into one giant facility.
During the time of construction, Buildings 4 and 5 will be closed. The activities and classrooms in Buildings 4 and 5 will be moved. Some of the changes will be temporary, others will be permanent.
According to Executive Dean Laurie Wolf, DMACC Discover Days events will be temporarily moved to the auditorium in Building 6 and that the Student Activities Council (SAC) will be temporarily moved to Building 1.
Greg Martin, Vice President of DMACC, had some more information about where some other moves would be made.
“The music department will be moving to Building 6; this move will permanent. The arts department is moving to Building 19 with graphic arts; this move will also be permanent,” Martin said.
Building 5 is known around campus as the hub of the student social area, intramural sports, working out, and other athletics.
With the new facility, the campus recreational activities will have to make some temporary adjustments.
Martin said that DMACC is currently exploring off-campus options for indoor DMACC intramural sports and activities. Martin said the Ankeny High School YMCA as a possibility.
The DMACC Bookstore and the DMACC Café will also be moved.
Martin said that options are being explored to move to the bookstore to either Building 1 or Building 6, but nothing is final on that yet.
Martin is currently in talks with vendors to set up a variety of food trucks around campus to replace the DMACC Café while the new YMCA is under construction. Martin is confident that a deal will be made with vendors very soon.
The new multi-million dollar YMCA facility on campus will have an abundance of activities and amenities.
“It will have a swimming pool, racquetball courts, a gymnasium, and a training space,” Martin, said.
Martin said that there will also be a massive lounge area for students that is much bigger than Building 5’s current lounge area. Other features include a black box theatre, food court, coffee shop, classrooms, and offices.
Student reactions were varied about the temporary plans and the new YMCA building.
“It’s not that big of a deal. There are always other places to sit,” said Adam Margolini, an Information Technology Networking Administration major.
Margolini is looking forward to the new facilities: “Personally, I love it because I like to workout and it would be good to see DMACC have a bigger place to workout.”
For Liberal Arts Major Reagan Cook, this building has personal importance.
“ I love this Building, this is where I met my friends. As long as it’s a building that’s kind of like the one right now, I’m okay with it,” said Cook.
According to the DMACC website, access to the new Building’s facilities will be free to DMACC students, facility, and staff.
Plans for the temporary movements of the current Building 5 amenities are going to be finalized sometime within the next few months.
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