Mid Michigan College is investing $12 Million to improve its existing learning and student spaces through a renovation of the College’s Harrison Campus. The College will reduce the Harrison Campus’ footprint to improve efficiencies, create a more student-friendly atmosphere by beautifying facilities and outdoor spaces, create student gathering and co-curricular spaces, address infrastructure and mechanical system issues, and improve campus safety and security.
Currently, the College is in the development and preparation stage of the large-scale renovation, which is slated for completion in the summer of 2020. The project reflects a scaled down variation of Mid’s 5-Year Campus Master Plan, created in conjunction with Newmann/Smith Architecture and feedback from over 20 community focus groups consisting of more than 200 people.
The Campus renovation will promote engagement in co-curricular activities through the creation of a student union, which will house a veteran’s resource center, student life spaces, food pantry, help desk, study areas, a fitness center, and a student lounge. These are features that either don’t exist or exist without relation to one another in the Campus’ current configuration.
Improvements to Campus grounds, library, and learning labs will also foster greater engagement in outdoor areas and in academic support services. The renovation also provides a dedicated wing for career-technical (CTE) students taking classes at the College through the Clare-Gladwin RESD (CGRESD).
Beyond layout and learning space improvements, this project responds to the critical need to replace failing HVAC and Air Handling systems. Should these systems fail, the Campus would become largely unusable. Investments in these systems alone represent $8.4 Million of the project’s total budget.
The new footprint will save the College money by consolidating the Campus’ mechanical and electrical systems and eliminating energy-wasting areas—those that are particularly inefficient and/or operate on separate mechanical systems that would add significant costs and challenges to replace. When completed, the rescaled Campus will be 40,000 square feet smaller than at present and still provide enough learning spaces to meet current enrollment needs and allow for future growth.
The project will extend the life of the Harrison Campus by 20-30 years, while invigorating its most important facilities. Learning environments will be improved to support better student success. Co-curricular and student engagement spaces will be constructed to facilitate more student-to-student interaction and greater involvement. Increased efficiencies will be capitalized on to save on operational costs that will be reinvested into academic programs, student, and community development.
“This investment in our Harrison Campus is an investment in our mission—to provide knowledge and abilities that empower learners and transform communities. We’re building a facility that meets the needs of tomorrow’s learners while also honoring the legacy of this incredible campus facility and grounds,” remarked Christine Hammond, Mid Michigan College’s President. “Mid has always been a careful steward of the investment that our community members make in us, and through this project, we ensure that Mid remains a vibrant community asset for decades to come.”
For more information about the Harrison Campus Renovations, visit midmich.edu/renovations or contact Jessie Gordon at (989) 317-4626 or jmgordon@midmich.edu.
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