The Eastern Michigan Board of Regents, at its regular
meeting June 17, authorized EMU's executive vice president
and chief financial officer to enter into a construction
management agreement with Christman/Dumas for the Mark
Jefferson Science Complex Project.
Christman/Dumas was chosen after a competitive bid process
based on its qualifications and its ability to work with
the University on this project.
 |
LAB CRUNCH: Olivia Munzer, an Eastern
Michigan
University graduate student from Phoenix,
Arizona,
works on her thesis research in a cramped
biology
lab in Mark Jefferson. The Board of Regents
recently
selected a construction management firm
to oversee
the approximately $90 million renovation/addition
of
the Mark Jefferson Science Complex. |
The estimated cost for the construction management services
is $4.04 million based on the presently planned project
scope ($90 million). Funds for these services have previously
been allocated to the Mark Jefferson project through bond
proceeds.
It is anticipated that early construction for the new
complex would begin in spring 2009. Plans include renovation
of the existing 182,802-square-foot structure and a science
lab/research addition at a square footage that is yet to
be determined, said John Donegan, associate vice president
for facilities.
The project's original price tag was approximately $100
million, as announced at a press conference Jan. 23, 2007.
But regents met July 2, 2008, and decided to scale back
the overall cost of the project in light of current economic
conditions in Michigan and the softening of the bond market
nationally, Donegan said.
"The best option for the university was to renovate the
existing Mark Jefferson to a higher level and put a smaller
addition on. That drove the changes," Donegan said. "It
(project) became more of a renovation and less of an addition.
But, it still needed an addition."
By the end of this summer, Donegan said he expects the
project architects — Ann Arbor firm Lord, Aeck, Sargent
— to complete schematic design plans for the Mark Jefferson
renovation and addition.
Because the overall price tag of the project dropped,
the construction management budget also decreased from
an original budget of $5.1 million, said Regent Fran Parker.
"I'm happy. To be down $1 million (on construction management
costs) seems to be going the right way," said Regent Phil
Incarnati.
The Christman Company (www.christmanco.com) is a full-service
construction services firm, offering construction management,
general contracting, design/build, real estate development
and facilities consulting services. The firm has Michigan
offices in Lansing, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Traverse
City.
Dumas Concepts in Building Construction Services is a
certified Detroit-based, minority-owned business incorporated
in the State of Michigan in 1973. Dumas provides construction
management services and, as a specialty contractor, provides
steel services to the national market.
Built in 1969 for $8.2 million, classroom instruction
in Mark Jefferson was almost entirely set up with a faculty
member in the front of the room with students facing in
the same direction. Biology labs were equipped with individual
study desks, where students listened to tapes and were
guided through lab exercises. Each faculty member directed
his or her research program and there was limited technology
usage.
That will all change, with classroom settings becoming
more interactive and able to allow small groups of students
to collaborate on projects. In addition, the science
curriculum will become more interdisciplinary, equipment
will be upgraded and computers will become even more of
a classroom learning tool.
The project is primarily funded through the sale of bonds.
The majority of the repayment of the bonds will be funded
from the 4-percent tuition and fee increase approved in
fall 2005 by the Board for this purpose.
"Our goal is still a fall 2011 opening," Donegan said.
— Pamela
Young contributed to this report.
