Peace and quiet are in short supply on the Donnelly College campus these days, but no one seems to mind the racket.
Ever since early August, the buzz, whir and grind of construction equipment has become part of the community’s daily routine. That’s because work is underway on the new Donnelly Community Event Center.
On Sept. 13, the College hosted a groundbreaking ceremony, sharing details about the first phase of a campus improvement plan – the most comprehensive in the institution’s 63-year history. The Center, scheduled to open in spring 2013, will double the College’s event programming space and serve as a venue for meetings and campus events. The new 3,196 square-foot facility will also provide much needed meeting and event space for community organizations and non-profits. When finished, it will accommodate 200 people and feature a catering kitchen, state-of-the-art multi-media technology, a circle drive drop-off and outdoor courtyard.
The new Center will strengthen Donnelly’s connection to the KCK community and enrich the experiences of DC students. As a neighborhood anchor in central KCK, Donnelly is deeply committed to helping area residents pursue higher education opportunities. The Center will create a variety of opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds to come together on the Donnelly campus, expanding exposure to college for thousands more youth.
“This project is the most ambitious development effort launched since the College’s founding by Bishop Donnelly and Sister Jerome Keeler in 1949,” said William H. Dunn, Jr., Donnelly College Trustee and co-chair of the project’s capital campaign. “We’re pleased to be investing in the future of Donnelly and in KCK’s urban core because the College’s diverse student body represents our world – and our future. Here at Donnelly, students are getting skills and tools that will pave the way for future success.”
The foundation of the Community Event Center formerly served as a hospital laundry facility, the oldest building on campus. Most recently, it served as a child care center for El Centro.
The project was awarded $200,000 in Community Service Tax Credits by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Qualified donors can receive a tax credit worth 50 percent of their donation against their Kansas Income Tax liability. Tax credits are still available but they expire December 31, 2012.