College of DuPage unveils renovated Naperville campus

The College of DuPage's Naperville Center opened its doors again in January after being shuttered since May 2014 for a $4.3 million renovation.

Some campuses might need to wait for enrollment to rebound from being temporarily closed, but that was not the case for the 20,460-square-foot facility at 1223 Rickert Road.

Shawn Maisch, the college's Naperville regional supervisor, said enrollment for the center is about 1,200 students, an uptick from the 1,100 served at the center in the spring 2014 semester.

"I'm very pleased with that," Maisch said on a tour of the facility Saturday during an open house.

"We were closed down at this location for eight months. People are back without missing a beat," she added. "We're going gangbusters."

The Naperville Center first opened in 1991, Maisch said. In 1997, a renovation expanded the basement and it was remodeled in 2007.

This project didn't add to the footprint of the building; it reconfigured space to add a science lab, student lounge areas, a multipurpose room, and more welcoming area for students and staff when they enter.

Other improvements included resurfacing the parking lot, adding skylights, improving technology and tying in the interior design to match the same bright and vibrant color scheme as the college's main campus in Glen Ellyn.

Ram Balaraman and his son, Achudh, 14, a freshman at Naperville Central High School, said they liked the redesigned building.

Achudh is considering taking summer classes to earn college credit and was at the center Saturday taking an assessment test.

"It's really nice, The facilities are really new," said Achudh Balaraman.

The elder Balaraman said the center is much nicer than the old version, which he had a chance to see when his wife was taking classes there for her associate degree.

"All the facilities look new," he said. "You feel like you're going to a big college when you walk in."

Grace Durschlag of Oswego visited the open house to get information for her two high school students.

"It's very impressive," Durschlag said. "It's a close location. I am really happy they reopened."

For more information about the Naperville Center or classes, visit cod.edu or call (630) 942-4700.