NORFOLK, Neb.— Alumni of Northeast Community College might recognize the name and location of this new building, though it now looks completely different.

The upgraded F. Don Maclay Building is already a fan favorite among students.

“I’ve had a few classes in there already, I’m loving it,” physical therapy freshman Lochie Harvey said.

While the building has been open for classes this year, the grand opening and ribbon cutting on Wednesday officially opened the new Maclay.

The college decided that instead of renovating the old building, it was more efficient to start from scratch in the same spot.

“It just made more sense for us to start over, it’s the same exterior footprint so it’s the same square footage as the previous building. Just designed very differently,” Northeast Community College President Leah Barrett said. 

The original Maclay building opened in 1970. To this day, it is used as the main academic building for the campus. Right next to the student union, this new building provides students with easy access to resources.

“That’s probably on of my favorite things, the location,” Harvey said. “Especially because I stay here on campus, it’s really close to the dorms so everything is within walking distance.”

The main need for a new building was the accessibility for staff and students, according to Barrett.

“It was dark before. It was difficult to navigate the hallways were literally a figure eight,” Barrett said. “And everyone always said if you can’t find the classroom you’re looking for just keep walking and you’re going to run into it. It wasn’t very welcoming for students and it wasn’t very comfortable for our faculty that have offices there.”