By Patrick Bade

pbade@statenews.com

Morrill Hall Fire

Before its demolition, many of those who were still in East Lansing in summer 2013 will remember seeing, or hearing, about the fire which occurred May 15 in Morrill Hall. The building was torn down less than a month following the fire.

HopCat

HopCat first opened its doors in August 2013. The bar, known for its craft beer, aimed to set a world record for its opening day by offering 100 options for beer on tap. Students were seen sitting on the sidewalk as they lined up on the road for its opening.

FRIB

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB, has captured attention all over campus, the state of Michigan and beyond. Funding of the project and certain approvals of plans for the project by the MSU Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2014 were controversial, but finally on March 17, 2014, the class got to see the first shovel in the dirt.

Residence Hall changes

The class of 2015 was the first class to have the opportunity to experience Emmons Hall reopened in 2011 after a $13.8 million facelift. Armstrong and Bryan Halls, also within Brody Neighborhood, were renovated and reopened in fall 2013, and that completed project was reopened for fall semester 2014.

In January 2012 Case Hall reopened a completely revamped dining hall. January 2013 brought the same result for Shaw Hall, as well as the reopening of the Union after a $2.4 million renovation. Additional dining hall facelifts include Akers in January 2015.

Broad Developments

The massive project of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum started in 2007 when the university received $26 million, the largest individual cash gift in MSU’s history, from Eli and Edythe Broad. When the class of 2015 arrived on campus back in August 2011, the university was preparing the transition of staff and artwork to the unfinished Broad Art Museum. Although the museum was originally set to open April 2012, it was delayed until November 2012.