The Board of Regents approved the comprehensive renovation of East Quadrangle, a heritage residence hall and longtime home to the Residential College.
The renovation of East Quad, approved July 21, carries forward the Residential Life Initiatives (RLI), a planned capital program launched in 2003 to improve university housing and dining facilities and to strengthen the connection between living and learning on campus.
East Quad houses approximately 860 students. The north section opened to men in 1940, and seven years later the south section of East Quad was built to meet the growing demand for student housing. Since 1967, it has served as the location of the Residential College, a four-year interdisciplinary liberal arts program within LSA, with an emphasis on languages, writing and the arts.
Similar to the significant upgrades made to other residence halls, the work in East Quad will add a fire suppression system, replace deficient infrastructure — electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation systems, and roofing — and add air-conditioning and wireless network access throughout. Improvements will be made to the student rooms, dining facilities, classrooms and offices.
The Board of Regents also approved the commissioning of Integrated Design Solutions, based in Troy, to develop the project design. The renovation of the 300,000 square-feet building is estimated at $116 million. The construction schedule will be determined when the schematic design is submitted for approval and the scope of the work is fully defined.
Other RLI projects have included upgraded fire alarm and suppression systems throughout the residence halls, the construction of Hill Dining Center and North Quadrangle Residential and Academic Complex, and comprehensive renovations of Mosher-Jordan Hall, Stockwell Hall, Couzens Hall (scheduled to reopen this fall) and Alice Lloyd Hall, which closed in May for upgrades until it reopens in August 2012.
