COD's Naperville center getting $4.3 million face-lift

The College of DuPage plans to spend roughly $4.3 million to renovate its Naperville Regional Center with an eye toward bolstering its appearance and offering improved resources for students.

The center at 1223 Rickert Drive will be closed during the remodeling, officials said, and is scheduled to reopen in time for the spring 2015 term.

Although the project is estimated to cost about $4.3 million, the college's board of trustees has only approved $3.6 million so far, according to Vice President of Marketing and Communications Joseph Moore.

Shawn Maisch, supervisor of the Naperville center, said staff members have set up temporary shop at the Fry Properties, Inc. office building at 2244 W. 95th St., Naperville.

Classes won't be offered this summer at the temporary site, Maisch said, but other resources will be available starting June 2, including registration, tuition payment, admissions assistance and testing. Classes will be available for the fall term at the Fry location.

Maisch said summer classes originally scheduled at the Naperville center have been moved to the Glen Ellyn campus. She said many students have opted to take online courses instead.

Students also can take courses at three other regional centers.

"They're giving the building a face-lift," Maisch said of the Naperville project. "It was looking a little outdated and so they're trying to bring it in alignment with all the beautiful new buildings on the Glen Ellyn campus."

The building also will be altered to make it more energy efficient, according to Director of Facilities Planning and Management Bruce Schmiedl.

Schmiedl said the cosmetology program will be moved to the college's Addison center as part of the renovations. A centrally located office space will then be developed at the Naperville regional center. Because the offices will move, the current space will be converted into classrooms, Schmiedl said.

Maisch said the office area will be moved to the center of the building so it will be easily visible and visitors will "be able to get assistance as soon as they walk in the door."

Classrooms technology also will be upgraded, Schmiedl said.

Other cosmetic finishes to the Naperville center will include adding skylights to a stairway and improving the lounge area.

"It's going to be bigger and better for the students when they return," Maisch said.