Explore the CCBC Essex Wellness and Athletics Center's $16.8M makeover

By CCBC Stories

August 27^th, 2024

Revitalized fitness spaces

After 50 years serving the CCBC Essex community, the Wellness and Athletics Center recently received a well-deserved $16.8M makeover.

“The Essex Wellness and Athletic Center renovation has created a stunning space for our students, faculty, staff and teams that instills CCBC and Knight pride immediately upon entry into the facility,” said Melissa Miller, director of College Athletics. “The renovation project was a phenomenal collaboration between different areas of the college to design a space that meets everyone’s needs.”

Explore the CCBC Essex Wellness and Athletics Center's $16.8M makeover

Renovations to the facility began in the summer of 2022, with a 7,500-square-foot addition for a new fitness center and a 6,500-square-foot renovation to create two large dance studios. Approximately 7,000 square feet on the main level was also reconfigured to better support the needs of the educational, recreational and competitive athletics programs. The project was funded by the state of Maryland and Baltimore County government and completed in November 2023.

“The renovated and newly created spaces have a major impact on the overall Athletics operations on our campus by providing a beautiful new space for strength and conditioning activities, while also upgrading our existing athletic support spaces.” – Assistant Director GregWitkop, CCBC Essex Athletics

“The new athletic training room also allows us to provide better health services for our student-athlete population of over 200 participants annually,” added Wiktop.

Kai Higginson, a Kinesiology major who plays first base on the Essex Knights baseball team, says the new weight room has the team really motivated, and they can now work out on campus instead of paying for a gym membership.

“A lot of guys will spend the whole day in the gym during any of the open gym hours,” said Higginson. “They’ll even ask for coaches to come in to supervise them when there isn’t open gym because they want to get their lift in.”

CCBC Essex Wellness and Athletics Center >>

Carole Drake Cascio Dance Studios

“When the dancers first saw their new space, their jaws dropped.” – Program Coordinator Melinda Blomquist, Dance

The Dance program space also received a much-needed update. In addition to the two new studios, the state-of-the-art dance facility also includes changing space, faculty offices and a new restroom. The new studios are named for Carole Drake Cascio, who founded the CCBC Dance program.

According to Melinda Blomquist, Dance program coordinator, the larger studios enable the dancers to move freely without constriction, and the rooms are bright and welcoming.

“The old rooms were smaller than our stage, so this gives us the opportunity to better prepare for our performances,” said Blomquist.

In 2018, the CCBC Dance program – which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary – was officially recognized and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. CCBC is one of only three community colleges in the country to have earned this distinction.