Henry Ford College sells two former SME buildings to Dearborn Public Schools
Henry Ford College has sold two vacant buildings on its main campus to the Dearborn Public Schools (DPS). The school district plans to use the buildings to expand its Henry Ford Early College dual enrollment programs (HFEC) and move other services to the site.
The buildings, on the north side of the College campus, were once home to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and were purchased by the College in 2008. At the time, the College borrowed funds to purchase all three SME buildings and to fully renovate one, which is now the HFC Welcome Center -- a main College entry point and service hub for incoming students, current students, and many campus visitors.
Expansion of Early College programs on the HFC campus
The two buildings on the HFC campus will allow Dearborn Public Schools to expand all three of the Early College programs: Henry Ford Early College Health, Advanced Manufacturing, and School of Education. The Early Colleges are joint ventures between the district and Henry Ford College. Students attend the Early Colleges for five years, which allows them to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree or trade certification – all at no cost to the student’s family.
The Dearborn Public Schools and Henry Ford College are the sole remaining district in the state that combines a P-12 district with a community college, sharing a single Board of Trustees (Board of Education). The two entities have entirely distinct budgets and operations, but the partnership provides a seamless connection not only for dual-enrolled high school students, but also for HFC students who live in the district and pay in-district tuition.
In addition to the Early College programs, the district is considering shifting some of its other services to the new buildings, which will free up space in other parts of the district. Dearborn Schools paid just over $2.1 million for the two vacant buildings.
“We are excited to have acquired these buildings, and it again shows the benefits of our great relationship with Henry Ford College,” said Superintendent Glenn Maleyko. “District students, who in this case are also College students, will only benefit from this change.”
The district is still finalizing plans for how it will expand enrollment on the campus. Currently, the three programs that are offered at the College campus enroll 570 students.
“We highly value our unique partnership with the Dearborn Public Schools, and the Early College programs are a core part of how we engage and serve our community,” said HFC President Russ Kavalhuna. “We will be glad to have even more dual-enrolled students learning in these buildings on the College campus in the years to come. Early College programs are a fantastic pathway to a successful future for students.”
Plans for renovations
The original Henry Ford Early College is a three-way partnership between the district, College and Henry Ford Health. Students focus on medical careers and go to Henry Ford Hospital for rotations to experience different professions. Last year, Henry Ford Early College was the only high school in Michigan to be named a National Blue Ribbon School.
The district hired French Associates architects last fall to help evaluate the buildings and develop remodeling plans to expand programs. Both buildings, each about 30,000 square feet, will require renovation to become a state-of-the-art educational facility that meets current requirements such as accessibility compliance. Preliminary estimates target a January 2024 date for students and staff to occupy the buildings. (Note: this date was later changed to 2025.)
The first Early College started in the district almost 15 years ago, and the programs have continued to grow in numbers and offerings. Expanding the Early College, along with expanding offerings at the Berry Center, will have a side benefit of relieving enrollment pressure at the three traditional high schools.
Current estimates put building a new traditional high school in Dearborn anywhere from $125 million up to $188 million, depending on size of the school. The figure does not include the purchase of land, which would need to be about 20 to 30 acres to accommodate athletic facilities, parking, and adequate traffic patterns. For comparison, Dearborn High is 240,000 square feet and sits on 45 acres. Edsel Ford is 241,500 square feet and sits on 49 acres. Fordson is 373,000 square feet and sits on 14 acres.
“Expanding the Early College programs will serve our students by allowing more of them to graduate high school ready for the workforce or with a head start on a bachelor’s degree,” Dr. Maleyko said. “But expanding the Early College will also have the added benefit of relieving some of the stress of higher enrollment on our three traditional high schools.”
This story is a collaborative effort between Henry Ford College and the Dearborn Public Schools.
