The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents approved,
at its regular board meeting Nov. 18, the FY2010 capital
outlay request. The board also identified the renovation
of Strong Hall as the University's top capital project.
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STRONG CHOICE: The renovation of Strong
Hall was
identified as Eastern Michigan University's
top capital
project as part of the FY2010 capital
outlay request.
The Board of Regents
made their decision at its Nov.
18 meeting. The estimated
cost to renovate the
facility is $38 million.
|
Strong Hall houses the geology and geography, and physics
and astronomy departments. The building hasn't received
any significant improvements or renovations since its construction
in 1957.
The estimated cost to renovate Strong Hall is $38 million.
If the Joint Capital Outlay Committee approves the budget
request, the State of Michigan's share of the project would
be $28.5 million or 75 percent of the project cost. The
University's cost share would be $9.5 million or 25 percent
of the project cost.
"This project, along with the construction of the new
Science Complex, demonstrates Eastern Michigan's commitment
to the sciences," said John Lumm, interim chief financial
officer for business and finance. "These improvements would
result in first-class science facilities on EMU's campus."
The project would include renovation of the entire existing
structure, including classrooms, lecture halls, student
common areas and faculty offices.
In other business, the Regents granted EMU President Susan
Martin authority to sign a contractual agreement with an
architect/engineering firm for professional architectural
and engineering design services for the modernization/renovation
of the university's Pray-Harrold Building. The estimated
cost of these services is $2.4 million and will be paid
out of the Pray-Harrold project budget.
In late September, the State of Michigan awarded EMU a
$31.5 million capital appropriation for the modernization/renovation
of Pray-Harrold.
During his report at the Nov. 18 Board of Regents meeting, John
Donegan, EMU's
assistant vice president for facilities, said requests
for proposals from architect/engineering firms were due
Nov. 24. With EMU's cost-share, the Pray-Harrold renovation
is a $42 million project, Donegan said. He added the
goal is to get in front of the state's Joint Capital Outlay
Subcommittee (JCOS) Comittee during March 2009.
"Our goal is to put a shovel in the ground a year
from today," Donegan said.
Pray Harrold, at 237,108 square feet, was built in 1969
and is EMU's largest classroom building. It serves an average
of 10,000 students per day. — Ron Podell contributed to
this report.
