The project will result in renovations to 2,025 beds and 700 new beds, including two new student living facilities: Lakeview Apartments, a 400-bed apartment-style residence hall, and Westview Apartments, a 300-bed residence hall. Improvements to existing housing include new air conditioning for comfort, air quality, and efficiency; new finishes in bathroom areas; and proven technologies for life safety.
Through an extensive engagement process, students, faculty, and staff will participate in planning efforts for the facility design and operations. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2022 and conclude by the fall of 2025.
The project team includes Gilbane Development Company as developer, Gilbane Building Company and Clark Construction in Michigan as joint venture design-builder, Mackey Mitchell Architects as architect of record, and Moody Nolan as associate design architect. The team has collectively delivered over 60,000 beds of student housing and has worked together on 55 projects over the last 30 years.
“‘Welcome Home 2025’ accelerates the investments in the university’s facilities and infrastructure that have been underway for several years. ... It is now time to turn our attention to a leading student mandate — to revitalize university housing to meet the needs of today’s students," said EMU President James Smith. "‘Welcome Home 2025’ is an ambitious and exciting plan that will transform Eastern Michigan University for decades into the future.”
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Smith outlined three key goals of the plan:
- Student affordability: keeping rates affordable
- Ensuring a high-quality residence life experience: EMU will continue to employ resident assistants, assign rooms to residents, and manage housing policies
- Student engagement: students will be extensively involved in the design process
“The Eastern Michigan University partnership is an exemplary model of how public private partnerships can efficiently deliver public facilities in collaboration with the private sector while prioritizing the needs of all stakeholders,” said Geoff Eisenacher, Senior Development Director with Gilbane Development Company. “Having signed an agreement just after the new year, we are excited to get underway on delivering this innovative project and look forward to working with the university and its students to create a world-class living-learning environment.”
“We are happy to be a part of this unique delivery for Eastern Michigan University that benefits their students, staff, and community stakeholders," said Gilbane Building Company Area Manager Lynn Rogien. "We are partnering with firms that we have a rich historical track record of success with, including Gilbane Development Company, Clark Construction, Mackey Mitchell Architects, and Moody Nolan. We look forward to providing value to Eastern Michigan University throughout this significant undertaking."
