Assistant vice president for the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services Vennie Gore, left, and MSU’s construction representative Ken Dawson, right, discuss major benefits of recent Emmons Hall renovations on Thursday afternoon. Gore noted the use of glass walls and large windows as a means of reducing energy by taking advantage of natural lighting.
As the university moves forward with a master plan for campus living accommodations, a newly revamped and renovated Emmons Hall will open up to students for the first time later this month.
After construction closed down the facility for more than a year, students will be able to move into the building starting in mid-August, when the first round of international student arrivals hits campus for the academic year.
The $13.8 million job completely gutted the building, replacing worn-out carpet and decorations with vibrant colors, new furniture and updated bathrooms.
Construction crews also added a community kitchen, improved meeting-room spaces and large glass windows around the building’s perimeter.
“Emmons (Hall) was built in 1952, and so we brought it to its modern times,” said Vennie Gore, assistant vice president for Residential and Hospitality Services.
Construction progressed relatively smoothly throughout the summer as workers made up for lost time on the job during the spring months.
“That all went well,” said Karen Zelt, the communications manager for the Physical Plant. “It’s a real testimony to the good crew.”
Campus Living Services now is responsible for cleaning and touching up the building as the university moves to ready the facility for occupancy.
University officials plan to continue the school’s campus-wide update effort in the coming years. Brody Complex Neighborhood will see the bulk of those changes with five residence halls slated for major updates.
Bailey and Rather halls currently are under construction, and crews continue to gut both buildings. That work is expected to total about $35 million. Bryan and Armstrong halls are next in line, and university officials anticipate the complex’s complete revamp should be done by 2013.
About 400 students signed up to return to Emmons Hall this year, a significant increase from the six to eight students who signed up to return to the hall the year prior to its construction. Butterfield Hall also has seen a similar jump in student interest, and as early as this past February, about 500 more students already had signed up to return to Brody Complex Neighborhood than the year prior.
Ongoing work on the campus’ west side reflects several larger construction efforts by the university.
Case Hall’s cafeteria is undergoing renovations and will open this January, while Holden Hall’s cafeteria also will see major changes.
Human biology senior John Silva thinks the Brody Complex Neighborhood’s update is money well spent.
“I think they did a pretty good job with the Brody (Square),” he said. “I can’t really say anything bad about that.”
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