A new career education center in Marcus is moving closer to reality, as a nearly $1.9 million renovation project gets underway.
Northwest Iowa Community College is moving forward with plans to transform the former Hometown Guesthouse hotel along Highway 3 on the south side of Marcus into its new Regional Center and Career Academy.
The college’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $1,873,240 construction contract with Schelling Construction of Sioux Center on Oct. 19, clearing the way for renovations ahead of the center’s anticipated fall 2027 opening.
NCC President John Hartog says 11 contractors toured the facility, with seven ultimately submitting sealed bids. He says the timing is ideal for the renovations.
The project will transform approximately 8,500 square feet of the former hotel into classrooms, a computer lab, health care training and testing areas, offices and student gathering spaces. The renovation will involve upgrades to the building’s interior, plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical and other systems.
The center will offer four career pathways: education, engineering design, health care and welding. Students will be able to earn college credits and industry-recognized credentials, including certified nursing assistant certification, OSHA-10 safety training, CPR and first aid and CompTIA A-plus certification.
Welding instruction will take place at MMCRU High School’s training facility in Marcus, which has received support through the project to expand its training capacity.
The career education center will initially serve students from MMCRU, South O’Brien, Kingsley-Pierson and River Valley, with Remsen St. Mary’s also identified as a participating school. Hartog says sharing MMCRU’s welding training facility will benefit multiple school districts while avoiding the expense of duplicating specialized equipment.
NCC purchased the former hotel earlier this year after receiving a $1 million Career Academy Incentive Fund grant from the state of Iowa. Hartog says the grant alone doesn’t cover the project’s costs, so the college is also using state-authorized infrastructure funding designated for expanding instructional capacity.
College leaders say the project will reduce travel barriers for rural students and help families save money by allowing high school students to earn college credits before graduation. Hartog says students who participate during both their junior and senior years could potentially save as much as $8,000 in college tuition.
The Marcus center will join NCC’s existing career education programs in Sheldon and Sioux Center. The college is also exploring a future regional center in Rock Rapids.
Hartog says additional school districts are welcome to explore partnerships as the Marcus program develops.
(Community First Broadcasting station KIWA in Sheldon contributed to this story)
