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Pray-Harrold heads capital outlay request approved by Regents

The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents approved a fiscal year 2007 capital outlay request for the modernization of Pray-Harrold, the University's largest classroom building.

The estimated cost to renovate Pray-Harrold is $52.7 million. Under the request, the University would pay the complete cost of $15 million for construction of a new addition to Pray-Harrold. EMU and the state as part of Michigan's matching process would split the remaining $37.7 million. Under the scenario, EMU would pay 25 percent of the remainder, or $9.4 million. The state would pay the balance of $28.3 million, or 75 percent. The total cost to EMU — including the renovation and new addition — would be $24.5 million, or 46.3 percent of $52.7 million.

CAPITAL PRIORITY: Pray-Harrold, Eastern Michigan
University's largest classroom building, once again
heads the institution's capital outlay budget request
for fiscal year 2007. The facility has been the top
capital outlay priority since 1999.

"We hope this will be an attractive proposal to the state, where we're able to pay 46 percent of the total cost," said Steve Holda, EMU's director of business and finance.

Pray-Harrold has been EMU's top capital outlay budget top priority since 1999. The building's deficiencies include inadequate technology infrastructure; inadequate heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; and inadequate handicap accessibility, Holda said.

Pray-Harrold was built in 1969 as the state of Michigan's single largest classroom building. For the past 36 years, the building has been utilized at capacity, servicing approximately 10,000 students each instructional day.