NORFOLK, Neb. -- The Maclay building, located on Northeast Community College, holds their primary classes for students and is also their oldest building.

After years of wear and tear, and being outdated, they are giving it a brand-new facelift dedicated to their first president Don Maclay in 1970.

To give the public a better idea of what will be done, Northeast Community College President Dr. Leah Barrett sat down with News Channel Nebraska and told us what is to be fixed going forward.

The historic Maclay Building, a cornerstone of Northeast and the primary hub for student classes, is set to undergo a major renovation. The building will receive a much-needed facelift, dedicated to Maclay.

In an exclusive interview with NCN, Barrett outlined the extensive plans for the building's rejuvenation, promising modernized facilities and enhanced learning environments for future generations.

“The mechanical systems had reached their useful life," Leah said. "So, it was important that all of that be replaced. The building was also designed in a style in the 70s and it was like a figure eight, and so they were very wide corridors that, if you didn't know where a room was, you just kept walking around that figure eight until you found it. So it was built quite...it wasn't an efficient building, so you weren't using space to its maximum.”

With a majority of classes taking place at the Maclay on a daily basis, another big change is to bring in the workforce development units including, extended campus leadership team, and adult education programs. This would allow everything to be in the same building with all of the faculty and students in a classroom environment.

Due to the building being structured in a figure-eight like Barrett mentioned, the old Maclay had many areas without windows and sunlight, but now the focus has been on making sure there's natural light all the way around the building. They have also designed beautiful architecture that allows sunlight into the middle of the building and make it a more welcoming environment for students or faculty with offices.

To keep Don Maclay’s Memory alive, historical pieces of his life will be on display for those past and present students to admire and remember all about his work. To continue his legacy, Barrett said, "I think it's really important to be able to give those nods to our history. And he really was such an important part of the beginnings of Northeast Community College and so, you know, recognizing him in that space will continue to be such an important part.”

Construction started in fall of 2023 and Barrett said for those anxious to see the finished project, you can expect Maclay to open its doors in the fall of 2025.