Spurk Building
Haverhill, MA – The Northern Essex Community College (NECC) community recently celebrated the newly renovated $18 million, 80,000sf Spurk Building, one of the most widely used academic buildings on the college’s Haverhill campus. RDK Engineers, an NV5 company, worked alongside the project architect, DiMella Shaffer Associates, providing MEP/FP engineering design services for transforming and renovating the classroom building that plays a critical role in the success of NECC students.
The 50-year-old building was closed for a year in order to complete the renovations, which include new windows, classroom and restroom upgrades, safety advances, accessibility upgrades, and a new HVAC system. As the hub of the campus, closing the building and relocating classes and activities was a challenge for the college.
(l-r) Jonathan Spurk; Rep. James Kelcourse; Steven Spurk; Michael Heffernan, secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance; Sen. Kathleen O’Connor Ives; John Spurk; Jeff Linehan, chair, NECC Board of Trustees; Carol Gladstone, commissioner of DCAMM; James Peyser, secretary of education; Lane Glenn, NECC president; John Dimitry, former NECC president; Sen.Barbara L’Italien; Sen. Bruce Tarr; Rep. Linda Dean Campbell; Bill Heineman, NECC vice president of academic and student affairs; Hannah Benning, NECC student trustee; and Bill Cox, vice chair, NECC Board of Trustees
It is home to 33 classrooms and 54 faculty and administrative offices created to support students. These centers include the career center, business and accounting academic center, the academic coaching center, the reading and writing center, and an honors lounge. The building also holds space for performing arts and lectures.
The Spurk Building was named in memory of Dr. John Spurk, a professor at NECC and an individual who played a large role in the development of the college. The upgrades to the building will continue to contribute to student success at NECC for many years to come.
