Houston Community College revealed its two-story design for a new Missouri City campus at a public meeting Dec. 1. About 50 people, including city and county officials, gathered at Missouri City City Hall to discuss the $21.5 million project.

HCC will relocate its Sienna Plantation campus to a 21-acre tract of land at the intersection of Texas Parkway and Thomas Taylor Parkway near City Hall. City officials said the campus is expected to boost economic development in the area once the project finishes in January 2017.

HCC’s new campus will be at the intersection of Texas and Thomas Taylor parkways.[/caption]

“[This is a] very good project from a city standpoint,” Mayor Pro Tem Don Smith said. “You’re going to attract bookstores, delicatessens and other support [businesses].”

Smith said he hopes HCC students can utilize the public library next door, which is due for renovations.

The 70,000-square-foot campus will house HCC’s Center for Entrepreneurship, Technology and Health. The campus will also have 19 classrooms, two university classrooms, two science labs, lounges and other areas for student collaboration, HCC officials said.

Employees from the Houston-based architectural firm, Kirksey, said the new campus is expected to have about 200 parking spaces and will face Texas Parkway to increase both access and visibility.

Health care and life safety career training, such as for police and fire and rescue careers, will be a focus of the new campus, HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado said. The full core curriculum will be offered immediately; however, workforce programs will be offered according to demand.

“I have no doubt we’ll be able to meet the community’s needs and industries’ needs here with this campus,” Maldonado said.