The changing face of WMU

By Kevin Doby
Western Herald

If a person had last visited Western Michigan University over five years ago and came back today, they would notice a great deal of change has been made and is in the process of being made.

Since 2005, WMU has undergone at least 11 building renovations, building constructions or improved landscaping, according to Conn Macomber, director of projects and construction. The biggest changes have come in the new buildings that have been opened over the past five years.

The Chemistry Building and Richmond Center have both provided an updated, more modern look to WMU’s main campus, while the new Health and Human Services Building does the same for East Campus, and can also be seen towering over the college from the Bernhard Center.

“Good facilities breeds good learning,” Macomber said.

The buildings that have undergone renovations and reopened in the past five years include: Brown Hall, Siebert Administration Building, Sindecuse Health Center and Kohrman Hall.  Out of all of the changes, Macomber says that he is personally most proud of the Health and Human Services Building for now.

“It houses an entire college for one thing,” Macomber said, “and it has also been LEED certified, which means it has been constructed to some of the highest standards possible.”

The Richmond Center recently received recognition for architectural excellence from the state’s architecture association.

“Students like learning and teachers enjoy teaching much more when they have the best technology available and are comfortable in their classroom setting,” Macomber said.

Every building that gets updated gets fitted with the newest in technology, but it goes beyond just the computers and the dual projector screens, Macomber said.

While talking about the Health and Human Services Building, Macomber went over what he felt made it stand out from the rest.  He said it welcomes people with an inviting atrium with water to help relax people and that the rest of the interior creates an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching.

Soon, Sangren Hall will join Brown Hall as an older classroom building being overhauled with new spaces and gadgets.

The plan was to renovate Sangren over five years ago when the plans for Brown began, but the money was not there.  They choose which projects they are going to undertake each year, Macomber said. They look at it first on a basis of how badly the building needs renovation.

In the case of Sangren, Macomber said that it was an older, out-of-date, classroom-style building that holds the College of Education that is very important to the administration.

However, the university did not receive enough money from the state government in order to fix Sangren and so Brown got a facelift.

Sangren is now being redone and is one of a few current or soon-to-be ongoing construction projects for WMU along with the construction of new on-campus apartments, Bronco Express in the Bernhard Center and an addition to Lee Honors College.

Doug Lloyd, project manager for Sangren, provided insight into what Sangren will be like once it opens.  The medium-sized lecture halls and larger auditorium rooms will all have updated seating with rows of tables and swiveling chairs slightly similar to the new auditorium on the main floor of Brown.

Raised platforms for the professors and new lighting will improve functionality of the classroom along with technological improvements like dual projectors. They also plan on increasing natural light in the building.

Ninety percent of the concrete being removed from Sangren is going to be recycled.

Another upcoming project that has garnered a good amount of buzz around campus is what is going to happen to the archives and, in turn, East Campus.

David Dakin, director of the planning division, said that while he did not deny that the old Kmart facility has been talked about as an option for the new home of the archives, he wanted to make clear it is only an option and they are still thinking of other strategies.

A private engineering firm may  take control over the buildings for a few years, renovate them and occupy them, while knowing that they will return the area to WMU at some point in time, Macomber said.

The time frame was not mentioned.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=19541

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Aug 29 2010. Filed under Breaking, Campus, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
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