West Quad Residence Hall will receive a $12.2 million renovation
to be completed in the summer of 2005. The proposal to upgrade the
residence hall’s fire protection, information technology and
electrical wiring systems was approved at the University Board of
Regents meeting last week.
The proposed renovations are part of the Residential Life
Initiatives, which was approved by the regents in September to
improve the quality of residence halls.
The newly proposed “North Quad” residence hall, that
would replace the Frieze Building, is also part of the program.
New Internet wiring, wireless access points and high-speed
network equipment will be installed to update information
technology in West Quad. The last major update to West Quad’s
Internet capabilities was in 1985, said Kathy Comisiak, University
Housing capital planner.
Comisiak said the technology and electrical wiring upgrades are
needed. “Things get outdated and fall apart, and that just
needed to get done.”
Some West Quad residents say they have noticed the need for
Internet improvements.
“Right after we moved in, (the Internet) was on and
off,” LSA freshman Jacob Griffin said.
Another West Quad resident, LSA freshman Kristina Harman, also
said the internet can be slow.
Changes to the fire-protection system will separate West
Quad’s system from that of the Michigan Union.
Currently, when a fire is detected in one building, the alarm
sounds in both the Union and in West Quad, Comisiak said.
She also said there will be a fire barrier between the two
buildings, which would prevent the spreading of a fire from one
building to the other for at least two hours.
A sprinkler system, which does not currently exist, will also be
added to the residence hall, Comisiak added.
Hartman said when students were evacuated during a power outage
at West Quad in early October, they were not allowed to re-enter
the building specifically because of the building’s lack of
sprinklers.
“I’m not really too concerned, but I suppose (a
sprinkler system) would make it safer,” Hartman added.
Comisiak said the University is exceeding code requirements with
its improvements to the fire-protection system. “We’re
doing our best to safeguard the students,” she added.
The electrical upgrades include the installation of a new
substation to meet electrical load requirements. “It will
have a greater capacity and will expand the electrical
system,” Comisiak said.
Because the renovations will take place during the summer, camp
students who usually stay in West Quad will be relocated to other
residence halls, Comisiak said.
Students enrolled in spring and summer terms typically live in
the residence halls on the Hill, she added.
Approximately 1,200 students live in West Quad, which was built
in 1939 and is one of the oldest residence halls on campus.
The regents also approved upgrades to elevators in Stockwell and
Mosher-Jordan Residence Halls at Thursday’s meeting in Flint.
The regents approved more extensive renovations for these two halls
in September.