Graduate student housing to have 94 units; Anspach Hall renovations to take longer than expected
Construction on 94 apartments for the Graduate Student Housing project is expected to be finished by March 2013.
"They're already under construction," said Stephen Lawrence, vice president of Facilities Management. "They're doing underground utility right now."
The Christman Company of Lansing has been hired to contract out the work, expected to be completed by March 2013 — later than the expected target of fall. The project, along with the introduction of a new biosciences building schematic design, was approved by the CMU Board of Trustees in December.
A design for the biosciences building, to be located between the Education and Human Services and Combined Services buildings, was submitted on Nov. 1. The design includes a plan for research and support labs and instruction and office space. It is awaiting approval from the state in March. Upon approval, construction is estimated to take 28 months.
Anspach Hall renovations
At the beginning of the 2012 summer, the university will begin renovating the first floor of Anspach Hall, along with the west side entrance.
The hall will be worked on over the course of the summer and into the fall and winter of next year, ending in March of 2013. It is the first formal renovation to Anspach Hall since its construction in 1966.
The university will replace ceiling tiles, floors, update the fire alarm system, install new lights and update bathrooms to American Disability Association standards, Lawrence said.
In addition, the roof of the office wing will be renovated and a student lounge will be added.
“The student lounge will be well-received among students, and the entrance will be scheduled for completion in 2013,” Lawrence said.
The lounge itself, along with the west side entrance, also won’t be started until 2013.
“The student lounge will be a small building addition,” Lawrence said. “And it will not take up any classroom space.”
There was extra space where the student lounge will be added on, which allowed the university to build it in the first place, Lawrence said.
The approval for renovation came from the board of trustees during a December board meeting. The total cost of the renovation is estimated to be $14,075,000, funded primarily through university reserves and maintenance funds.
“We are in the process of awarding Clark Construction the contract,” Lawrence said. “They have done work on campus before.”
Clark Construction Company, based in Lansing, helped construct the CMU Events Center last year and updated Brooks Hall and its DIY water system, Lawrence said.
One of the rooms that will be focused on in Anspach is lecture hall 162. Two students who have a class in the room have noticed some areas of the room that could use work.
“It seems too crowded — some of the seats are too close together,” said Taylor sophomore Kaitlyn McCombe. “There should be an aisle between the seats.”
Gross Pointe freshman Alexa Materna noticed damage to some of the seats.
“I noticed a couple of the seats and desks are broken,” Materna said. “It isn’t in the best shape.”
