Dormitory could serve dual purpose at York County Community College

Wells-based York County Community College is planning to build a dormitory — the first for the 32-year-old institution. It will be used for students during the school year and be available to house summertime workers in the tourist-focused beach community, which borders Ogunquit and Kennebunk. The college has put out a request for proposals to architects to design a facility with 160 to 170 beds “in flexible housing units.” For the past five years, the college has leased rooms at the nearby Hampton Inn & Suites, which currently houses 40 full-time students. “We're full, with students still on the waiting list," YCCC President Michael Fischer told Mainebiz. "Those housing students come from across Maine and from several other states, which tells you housing is what lets us recruit beyond our commuting radius. That waiting list is exactly why we're building.” Fischer noted that enrollment is up 29% since 2021-22, from 1,998 students to 2,577 last year. “And this fall we're running another 5% ahead. Housing demand has grown faster than we can serve," Fischer said. A 2023 housing study conducted for the college by Tampa, Fla.-based MGT Consulting found demand for roughly 140 to 310 beds. "Over the last several years, our work with students and York County employers kept surfacing the same challenge: housing,” Fischer said. “Students were struggling to find affordable places to live during the academic year, while employers were struggling to find housing for the seasonal workers they depend on each summer.” “Our purpose at YCCC is to create economic and civic prosperity in York County,” Fischer said. “This project is what that purpose looks like in practice: listening to students, listening to employers, understanding what our communities need, and finding a way to connect those needs through a solution that strengthens the entire region." The timeline calls for the building’s design to be completed by the end of October 2027, and construction completed by July 31, 2029. The project is funded in part by a $6.5 million HUD Community Project Funding grant. Editor's note: York County Community College President Michael Fischer is not related to Mainebiz real estate reporter Tina Fischer.