Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), located in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1964 as a publicly funded community college. The College is in an exciting period of change and growth, undergoing numerous renovation and construction projects.
MCCC engaged Watchdog to manage the transformation of its Sustainability and Innovation Hub on the Pottstown Campus to the Challenger Learning Center of Montco Pottstown. The Challenger Learning Center, the first in Pennsylvania, is part of a global network of Centers founded by the families of the astronauts tragically lost during the 1986 Challenger space shuttle mission and inspired by the legacy of America’s first teacher-in-space, Christa McAuliffe. Experiences at Challenger Learning Centers simulate a two-hour immersive space mission, where students in grades 5-8 can participate in the thrill of being an astronaut working in space and Mission Control.
Watchdog served as the Owner’s Representative for MCCC and provided a full scope of project management services, from conception through completion. Watchdog coordinated with Challenger directly on MCCC’s behalf in all aspects of the project. Challenger Center designed, fabricated and installed the four rooms for the experience (Spacecraft, Mission Control, Transport, and Briefing). To prepare for the Challenger Learning Center installation, our team had to manage an extensive demolition of the first and second floors of the College’s Sustainability and Innovation Hub on their Pottstown Campus. This entailed removing all existing furniture, repainting the walls, rewiring the electrical systems, and refinishing the flooring.
Our team provided an on-site presence to oversee construction administration, installation, and closeout. The Challenger Learning Center spans two floors. The first floor includes the Spacecraft room, the Transport room, the Air Lock, and a room for back of house equipment. The second floor is comprised of Reception, Mission Control, and the Briefing room.
During the construction phase, Watchdog made site visits to ensure project milestones were met in a timely manner. Our team analyzed the general contractor’s cost performance, reviewed monthly pay applications, and provided project status reports. Since opening in August of 2022, up to 48 students can experience a Challenger Learning Center mission where they blast off into low earth orbit and work in Mission Control as they role play STEM professionals and collaborate with the fellow students on a real-world space missions.