Dallas Community College District hired Facility Programming and Consulting to provide master plan support and space utilization services at four of their campuses: Eastfield College, North Lake College, Richland College and El Centro College (downtown campus location). The goal of each master plan was to evaluate existing campus facilities and their ability to accommodate the projected enrollment growth within the district. Additional Academic Plan direction and support was requested and provided at select campuses.

Using a current inventory provided by the college, Facility Programming evaluated space by FICM code as it relates to academic use for every assignable square foot on each of the four campuses. At Eastfield, courses with positive and negative student enrollment growth rates were evaluated and used to help the college predict future space needs. Historical data, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and forecasting methods were used to quantify possible enrollment projection scenarios at each campus. Classroom demand analysis and space projections were developed for three of the campuses.

The goals of these master plans are:

Optimize space by understanding current utilization

Improve the suitability to meet current needs

Develop a strategy to accommodate enrollment needs

Develop “building blocks” for future directions

Identify swing space opportunities and sequence renovation projects in existing facilities to improve suitability for current and future functions