CAMPUS NEWS
Science Complex Completion It’s Strong Hall’s turn for a revamp
Te waiting is over for Strong Hall. Nearly $30 million in state funding was
approved by the state of Michigan in June, signaling the go-ahead for a long-awaited renovation of the building. Te $39.5 million project includes renovation of the entire 80,713-square-foot structure, including modernizing classrooms and labs, lecture halls, student commons areas and faculty offices, along with creating flexible use spaces for research and instruction and updating the architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical systems. Strong Hall is part of Eastern’s Science
Complex, and currently houses key science programs including the Mars Computer Weather Simulation Lab, the Plasma Physics Lab, the Laser Physics Lab, the Modern Optics Lab, Environmental Sciences, and the departments of astronomy and physics and geology and geography. It is a crucial academic facility on Eastern’s campus; more than 25 percent of the University’s STEM lab classrooms are in the building. President James Smith said: “Te renovation of Strong Hall holds
tremendous significance for many future students who will come to EMU for science-related education and career preparation. Te project aligns with the state of Michigan’s well-articulated goal of preparing more students for STEM careers that contribute to the state’s economy.” Under current construction plans
and subject to the state’s capital outlay approval process, EMU is prepared to close the building and begin construction as early as January 2017, and reopen for classes in the fall of 2018. All renovations would meet LEED
Silver Criteria and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Te building, located in the middle of campus, was built in 1957 and has not
received any significant overall improvements since its construction. Strong Hall has been Eastern’s top state capital outlay project priority since fiscal year 2010, the year aſter EMU received funding for the Pray-Harrold Building renovation. Meanwhile, Eastern invested $90 million
in the renovation of the adjacent Mark Jefferson building and construction of 80,000 square feet of new academic facilities, including a planetarium, connecting both to make up Eastern’s Science Complex. Eastern has experienced an 11 percent increase in enrollment for STEM fields of study since the completed renovation of Mark Jefferson Hall. Te renovation of adjacent Strong Hall would complete the Science Complex project. —Geoff Larcom
“The project aligns with the state of
Michigan’s well-articulated goal of preparing more students for STEM careers that contribute to the state’s economy.”
This rendering from 2006 shows one possibility of what Strong Hall could look like after renovations.
10 | SUMMER 2016 | EASTERN MAGAZINE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48