Funds will help North Central, LSSU begin projects

An Upper Peninsula university and Northern Lower Peninsula college will benefit from over $20 million in state funds that will help expand services.

The Michigan House of Representatives recently announced that there would be $5.2 million in funds to help build the North Central Michigan College Health Education and Science Center at the college's Petoskey campus. The House also approved the use of $15 million to help fund the construction of the Lake Superior State University School of Business building.

The $10.4 million North Central Michigan College construction project will include a new 23,260 square-foot Science Center and the renovation of 17,150 square-feet of space in the existing Science and Chemistry building. The new center will provide science laboratories, classrooms, offices and storage space, computer labs, a reception area and a student commons area. The plan will also help provide other buildings at the college with much-needed electrical and technological upgrades.

"There is a tremendous need for this facility in our community," says North Central Michigan College president Cameron Brunet-Koch. "We want to train people for health careers and careers in science. Our students deserve a modern top-notch facility."

The LSSU project includes the construction of a new 50,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art building that will house the School of Business, Entrepreneurial and Legal studies. The building will include general-use smart classrooms, a career and placement center, consultation rooms, faculty offices, space that can be easily modified to accommodate future needs, several specialized classrooms, case study rooms, and common spaces for students. The project will cost $20 million. An LSSU fundraising program will help the university cover the remaining $5 million.

Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Cameron Brunet-Koch, NCMC
Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.