Opportunities to discuss East Hall renovations coming up

Kathy Jennings | Thursday, August 8, 2013

In coming months those interested in having a say regarding Western Michigan University's East Hall renovation will have three opportunities to do so.

There will be:

• A late September public session to get input from WMU faculty, staff, alumni and students as well as the general public,

• A second mid-design, public input session in December, and

• A public session in late February or March to present the final design.

Construction on the project is to begin mid-2014 and the goal is for it to be in use by mid-2015.

WMU Board of Trustees recently reviewed initial design concepts for the East Hall renovation. The design by architectural engineering TowerPinkster process remains in the very early stages.

So far, basic parameters have been identified. The final design will preserve and restore signature East Hall architectural features such as the cupola, pillared portico and the interior central staircase.

It will have interior spaces designed for use as an alumni center and office space for alumni relations officials and featuring large gathering spaces for alumni functions as well as such campus and community events as receptions and banquets.

There will be a focus on features that can showcase the significance of WMU to its community, state, and the nation.

Initial design elements reviewed by trustees focused on the 34,000-square-foot core of the building--the part of East Hall that was completed in 1905 and which is considered the birthplace of WMU.

The cost and feasibility of preserving the wings of the building that were constructed later still are being discussed.

The redevelopment project also is to focus on enhanced green space for the Prospect Hill site.

"We've spent a great deal of time evaluating all of the buildings, analyzing the site, and assessing all of the materials that can come into play," TowerPinkster Principal Bjorn Green says. "Our firm is truly excited about the potential for the space that we've been asked to design. We're working with our historic preservation consultant to both redevelop East Hall and design a hilltop space that will celebrate and honor the legacy of the entire site."

Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave Media
Source: Cheryl Roland, Western Michigan University