Historic
Tour > Virtual Tour > Porter College
of Education Building
Porter College of
Education Building
Historical
Name(s):
University Library, 1967-98; John W. Porter
College of
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Porter
College of Education Building
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Education, 1999-present.
Date
Constructed: 1967.
Architect:
Swanson Associates, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Style
of Architecture: International
Original
Use: University Library
Dates of Renovation: 1998-99:
became classroom and office space for the
College of Education.
Current
Use: Houses the College of Education
History:
In May of 1967, the new library opened to
much fanfare. The building, now the Porter
College of Education, was five times the size
of the former university library (now Ford
Hall). Built with a combination of federal
and state funds for the cost of $2.68 million,
it contained 133,500 square feet of space.
Even soon after its construction, there were
concerns that the building would again grow
too small. By the mid-1990s, plans were underway
to construct a new even larger building, now
known as the Bruce T. Halle Library.
The old library
building was remodeled to hold the Education
Department and renamed after John
W. Porter, EMU President (1979-88).
Dr. Porter had a distinguished career as a
teacher and administrator in the K-12 schools
of Michigan. He became Michigan State Superintendent
of Schools and provided outstanding leadership
in that role. He ably led Eastern Michigan
University through a period of considerable
growth and development.
The 133,500
square foot building was designed to provide
a variety of teaching/learning environments,
including extensive technology capability,
for the preparation of school personnel and
professionals in related areas. During the
renovations in 1998 and 1999, work crews rewired
the entire building, providing state-of-the-art
computer networks and an up-to-date multimedia
system for the building for a cost of almost
$2 million. These new facilities included
lecterns that allow for Internet connectivity,
as well as 140 new Apple, IBM, and Gateway
computers. The College of Education’s
move to the renovated building has created
a new environment for students in the disciplines
of Teacher Education, Special Education and
Leadership and Counseling. The Porter College
of Education reopened on October 8th 1999.
The total cost of renovation was $13.8 million.
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Location
of Porter College of Education Building
(Click on the image for a bigger view)
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