U-M greenlights Couzens Hall renovation for next spring

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

The University of Michigan is playing a game of musical renovations with its student residence halls.

U-M's Board of Regents gave the OK to begin renovating Couzens Hall next spring. That will be just in time for the opening of the North Quad residence hall and on the heels of the recent renovations of Mosher-Jordan and Stockwell halls, along with the construction of the new Hill Dining Center.

"We're trying to maintain enough bed spaces to maintain student desire to live in campus," says Peter Logan, director of communications for the U-M Housing.

The $49 million project, designed by Integrated Design Solutions, will include installing a new fire suppression system, infrastructure upgrades, upgrading student rooms and bathrooms and creating new community spaces. The university plans to replace and upgrade the plumbing, heating, ventilation and wiring. New insulation and windows will be added to make it more energy-efficient, however, the project will not go for LEED status.

Couzens will retain its 560 beds, but will rework its old dining facility and other public areas. The residence hall will now utilize the new and nearby Hill Dining Center. The old dinning facility and other common areas will be turned into community space, multipurpose rooms, game rooms, classrooms, faculty offices and a coffee lounge that will be open to all students and staff at the university.

Couzens in located on Ann Street and is part of the Hill student-housing neighborhood. It was built in 1925 to provide housing for 260 nursing students. U.S. Sen. James Couzens of Detroit donated $600,000 for its construction. A large wing was added in the mid 1950s, doubling the capacity to what it is today.

Source: Peter Logan, director of communications for the University of Michigan Housing
Writer: Jon Zemke