Health programs find new home
CMU officials say the future Health Professions Building will unite the university's health departments and programs now scattered around and off campus.
The structure's architectural firm, SmithGroup Inc., of Detroit, is expected to have plans ready for a bid-letting next spring. Construction of the building, slated to take the place of Theunissen Stadium on the northwest corner of Preston Street and East Campus Drive, is expected to begin next July and finish by May 2003.
Bob DeBruin, Academic Administration assistant vice president, said SmithGroup Inc. was selected in November.
"We interviewed four or five firms before we selected them. They've worked on scientific buildings, and they're doing a major building right now at Michigan State University, an $80-million-dollar project."
There is still much work to do before construction begins next summer, he said.
"We've completed the schematic design phase. We're now in the preliminary design phase. The plans are for the stadium to be demolished following the baseball season next year."
The 2001 season ends in May. Theunissen Stadium, which was built in 1949, will eventually be replaced by a new ballpark on the south end of campus - west of West Campus Drive and south of Kewadin Village. The location is still being finalized by architectural firms Hobbs and Black, of Ann Arbor, and Heery International, of Atlanta, Ga. Preparing the new playing field may begin this September, with the stadium ready for use in spring 2002.
Gov. John Engler signed a $50-million supplemental appropriation bill July 13 to help fund the cost of the building, the number-one priority in University President Leonard Plachta's building initiative report. The state will contribute $37,499,800, while CMU is required to pay 25 percent of the overall price, or $12.5 million.
The Dow Foundation of Midland donated a $5-million grant in February toward the amount owed by CMU. In addition to state funds and public and private donations, new buildings and renovations on campus could receive funding from loans and the $25 per student per semester campus improvement fee, which takes effect this fall. The fee was approved by the Board of Trustees at its July 13 meeting.
DeBruin said he doesn't know if any portion of the money from the fee will go toward the health building's construction. He said officials in CMU's health programs are excited about relocating to a new facility.
"I think they're all positive about it. The deans, faculty and staff will be more excited about being in one location than in the areas they're currently in. Right now they're scattered all over."
The 176,000 gross-square-foot health building will feature clinical, instructional, research and office wings connected to a centralized two-story atrium and will house technologically advanced classrooms and laboratories for faculty and students in health-related programs. The building will also house an outpatient clinical facility, office space for a new Center for Intergenerational and Community Health and areas for community and continuing education programming.
In addition, the structure will also support CMU's audiology, speech-language pathology and physician assistant programs, all ranked in the top 100 graduate programs by U.S. News and World Report. CMU's physician assistant program is ranked 14th in the top 100, said Patricia Kelly, physician assistant program director and health promotion and rehabilitation assistant professor.
The physician assistant program is currently located in Foust Hall, and Kelly said she is looking forward to moving into the new building.
"One of the major disadvantages of our current location is there is no clinical space. This space is vital for our patients and our programs. We're very enthusiastic about the move."
The new building will support a new clinical procedures lab that will allow more instruction to take place on campus.
"Currently, we have to see patients off campus. In the new building, we'll be able to see patients with the students," Kelly said.
The building will also accommodate clinical psychology, health administration, health promotion and rehabilitation, physical education, sports administration, exercise science and physical therapy graduate programs. Undergraduate programs in the building will include communication disorders, community and public health education, health administration, health fitness and exercise science, neuroscience, physical education, sports medicine and sports studies.
Dean of the College of Health Professions Stephen Kopp has worked diligently towards the health building project during the past year, Kelly said.
"He's been immensely successful in mobilizing all of the different faculty and the divisions in planning a state-of-the-art building. Without his leadership this wouldn't have taken place."
The move to the health professions building should go smoothly, Kelly added.
"I think the work will be large but it will be spread out over the next couple of years. The physically moving part won't be a big deal, but there will be a big push for planning of the space. Under Dr. Kopp's guidance, I think we have a really good handle on the situation"
