Muskegon Community College eyes downtown development

By Dave Alexander, The Muskegon Chronicle

MUSKEGON — Baker College of Muskegon sees itself as a “catalyst” for further downtown development with the opening of its Culinary Institute of Michigan.

Dale Nesbary Baker might be paving the way for Muskegon Community College to join its fellow college in downtown Muskegon. Both of Muskegon’s higher education institutions are experiencing record enrollments and face the need for more facilities.

MCC President Dale Nesbary told the Business for Breakfast audience of the Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce Friday that his institution is looking to expand off of its Marquette Avenue campus. In the next nine months, the community college will conduct a strategic planning process that could lead, in part, to a location for a program in downtown Muskegon, he said.

“I’m so impressed with Baker College seeing its culinary institute. It’s beautiful,” Nesbary told the business group in a joint appearance with Baker President Mary Ann Herbst. Both college presidents have come to their leadership positions within the past year.

“We don’t have the programs in place in the community that we need,” Nesbary said of MCC having a facility and programs downtown. “We want to use volunteers in the next nine months from the business community to help us with our moves into the community.”

Downtown programs could include natural sciences, humanities/fine arts or continuing education, he said. “One or more of those areas will move away from our campus,” Nesbary said.

The new MCC president has been in discussions with the Community Foundation for Muskegon County to plan a downtown facility and programs, Nesbary said. The foundation has been leading efforts to redevelop downtown Muskegon.

“I think MCC is being inspired by Baker’s (Culinary Institute),” foundation President Chris McGuigan said. “I would hope that MCC would build on a strength it already has or find a completely new program.”

McGuigan suggested that a fine arts program downtown could work with the Muskegon Museum of Art and the theater and musical activities in the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts.

If MCC wants to start a new program, McGuigan suggested that a waterfront facility housing a merchant marine program would provide a “wow” factor that might spur other downtown and waterfront developments. Currently, the only western Michigan training program for those working on Great Lakes ships is at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City.

Herbst told the chamber audience that culinary arts has become Baker College’s number one program in Muskegon, going from 315 students to 529 when the new facility opens Monday.

“In opening the CIM, I am told we are making a wonderful addition to the Muskegon community,” Herbst said. “It will be a catalyst for other things happening downtown.”