Board acts on two Allendale construction projects

The Board of Trustees approved the architects and construction companies for two previously announced projects at its Nov. 2 meeting -- the new classroom and laboratory building on the Allendale Campus and the renovation of James H. Zumberge Library.

Both projects will be built to LEED Silver standards. The university has been planning for these two projects for years, and will not need to raise tuition to provide funding.

Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber, Inc. will be the project architect/engineer, and Pioneer Construction Company will be the construction manager on the classroom/lab building.

The 144,000 square foot building will provide new classrooms, teaching and research labs and faculty offices for the biology curriculum. It will address long-term teaching and faculty office needs on the Allendale Campus and support student and faculty research.

The $55 million project will be funded through a combination of sources, including state funding, university-issued bonds, and Campus Development Funds. It will be completed in August 2015.

The Board approved the selection of VIA Design as the architect/engineer for the renovation of Zumberge Library and the selection of Wolverine Building Group as construction manager.

The completion in 2013 of the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons creates the opportunity for repurposing Zumberge, which will be called James H. Zumberge Hall when it reopens as a centrally located administration building. The creation of office space in the new Zumberge Hall will reopen classroom space in other campus buildings that had been turned into offices.

The $22 million project will be funded through university-issued bonds and Campus Development Funds and will be completed in May 2014.