Rebuilding Brody

Brody Hall undergoing face-lift during next 2 years; $49M major renovation 1st since construction in 1952

By Marissa Cumbers (Last updated: 06/24/09 11:05pm)

Brody Complex, sometimes unaffectionately called “Grody Brody” or “The Brojects” by some of its almost 2,500 residents, might need a new nickname after upcoming renovations. The complex will undergo a series of renovations beginning with a $49–million makeover to Brody Hall, which hasn’t had major renovations since its construction in 1952, said Vennie Gore, assistant vice president for Housing and Food Services.

The project will include updates to the current 130,000 square foot main building with an addition to the east side of the building, said Bruce Haskell, associate director of Housing and Dining Services.

“Brody is really the entry point for the west side of campus,” he said.

“The intent is to create a more inviting entry point because Brody does look dated.”

To compliment the refurbished main building, residence hall improvements will begin in May 2010 with a $15.5 million Emmons Hall renovation, Gore said.

“One of the important parts of our campus is the residential experience of living and learning,” he said. “As we look at the age of these buildings, many are at a point when we really need to renovate.”

Sustainable face–lift

The Brody Hall project includes classroom, office and cafeteria renovations to the current building, a 50-foot extension on the east side of the building, upgrades to the utility system and the development of a transitional cafeteria to be used during construction, project manager Bob McCurdy said.

“The main reason the renovation is important now is to bring the buildings to code compliance for the safety and well-being of the occupants,” he said.

Renovations to the main building began in spring 2009 and will take place over a two-year period with the second-floor dining area closed until Fall 2010, and the first-floor office and classroom area closed until Spring 2011.

Throughout the process, project planners are considering sustainability, and the building will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified when complete, said Sharri Margraves, construction and maintenance manager. To be LEED certified, a building must utilize certain environmentally friendly standards.

Some green features include a reflective roof to utilize daylight and lower utility costs, portions of vegetated roofing and a rainwater collector that will feed rainwater back into the ground.

“As we do the building and designing, we are making sustainable choices,” Margraves said.

The project is currently in demolition phases, Margraves said.

University engineer Robert Nestle said work is on schedule for the entire building’s opening in fall 2011 and there have been no significant problems.

“It’s a longer project because the facility has to stay in operation while it’s going on,” he said.

Business as usual

Cafeteria construction will continue throughout the school year, but with demolition complete by the end of the summer, pounding hammers should not disrupt dining ambience for students, Gore said.

Residents still will have all of the same food options including pizza by the slice, hot entrees, salad bar, burgers and grab-and-go options in the transitional cafeteria being built in the north side of Brody Hall, which will seat about 350 people, Haskell said.

“We know it will be mildly annoying, so we are going to go out of our way to ease that for residents throughout the year,” he said.

Because the transitional cafeteria is smaller, students will be permitted to take meals out of the dining area.

Housing and Food Services also will plan special social events in the residence halls and provide residents in Brody Complex two complimentary guest meal passes to compensate for the inconvenience, Haskell said.

Incoming freshman Nick Nelson, who will be living in Brody Complex, said the university notified residents of the construction at orientation. Nelson said he wasn’t sure if two guest meals would make up for missing out on the full cafeteria experience.

“Eating times are like a socializing time, and many people will be back in their rooms, so we won’t really be able to meet anybody,” he said.

Nelson said he is disappointed about the smaller cafeteria, but he understands the need.

“I’ve been to Brody in the past, and it definitely needed some work,” he said. “I just wish I came a year later.”

Communication junior Dom Carruthers lived in Emmons Hall last year and he said he wasn’t sure how comfortable the transitional cafeteria would be.

“There were days when there were so many people in the cafeteria, and it would be so hot,” he said. “I feel like the cafeteria being smaller for awhile might create a problem.”

Culinary improvements

In the past, the Brody cafeteria was famous for being the largest nonmilitary cafeteria in the world, but after construction dust clears, it will be known for food quality, not quantity, Haskell said .

“In order for us to deliver culinary excellence, we have to get in a mode of cooking things as fresh as possible and as close to serving time as possible,” he said. “The new Brody will focus on fresh and made-to-order cuisine.”

The new cafeteria will feature 10 different food stations with a variety of customized entrees ranging from made-to-order burritos to fresh sushi.

MSU senior executive chef Kurt Kwiatkowski said Housing and Food Services will be making efforts to buy local meats and produce along with preparing meals on the spot for residents .

“(Students’) palettes are becoming more broad,” he said. “We need to bring them more flavors, and with all of these different venues, we’ll really be able to do that.”

Kinesiology sophomore Jake Portteus lived in Emmons Hall last year. He said the cafeteria wasn’t horrible, but the changes to the selection look positive.

“The way they have the designs — they look like they were trying to make it more like Snyder-Phillips,” he said.

Better boarding

Residential renovations will begin with the 54-year-old Emmons Hall and will include mechanical and electrical updates, floor and ceiling replacements, redesigned entrances and updated community areas.

“The primary driver is the infrastructure,” Margraves said. “All buildings in the complex were built during the same time frame, so as system failures occur, including things like plumbing and electrical, they would all fail at about the same time.”

The hall will be closed from May 2010 until the project’s completion in August 2011, Gore said.

“These (buildings) are all 50-plus years old,” he said. “We really need to renovate them now so they will be available for the next 50 years to come.”

The improvement of community areas will make space multifunctional and provide social and academic meeting places, Margraves said.

“It is really blending that notion of how a space will be used,” she said .

Similar renovations will occur in the five other halls in Brody Complex but are not yet scheduled.

Incoming freshman Javier Howard will be living in Bailey Hall in the fall and said he is a little skeptical about how operations will run in the complex during construction.

“I’d rather not live in a construction zone, but to be honest, my excitement for school in the fall and everything that comes with that kind of trumps any worries about the construction,” he said. “I just hope it won’t be too loud.”

Originally Published: 06/24/09 11:00pm