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Full course renovation of Brody Hall in the works

Date Posted: December 4 2009

EAST LANSING – A lot of meals move through Michigan State University’s Brody Hall, which at one time was said to provide the largest non-military food service in the nation.

Over the years, no doubt the menu was updated to reflect changing tastes, but the interior and exterior of the building that houses the Brody cafeteria looked pretty much like it was built in the mid-1950s.

“It was an old, tired building,” said Robert McCurdy, planner/inspector/analyst for MSU’s Construction, Maintenance and Interior Design Department. That’s all going to change by 2011, when construction manager Clark Construction and the building trades will finish a complete renovation and expansion of the hall. Brody Hall itself doesn’t house students, but the building’s most important function is to serve as the main food service hub for six nearby residence halls housing 2,400 students.

“Things are going well, there’s good cooperation among the tradespeople and the contractors,” said Clark’s Senior Project Manager Jim Venton. “Everyone is working well together.”

Located on Harrison Road, the 126,000-square-foot, two-story Brody Hall will be expanded by 27,000 square feet. Planning began about two years ago for the renovation. Classrooms were closed in the building last January, and asbestos abatement work began in March, followed by construction.

Complicating the renovation is the need for the food service to remain operational throughout the construction process in a temporary cafeteria set-up on the first floor. The plan calls for the second floor to be renovated first, and 80-100 tradespeople are in the process of creating a food service space that’s sure to be a vast improvement over the past cafeteria experience.

The new 1,000-seat dining area will be set-up with various nearby “venues,” McCurdy said, serving items like pasta, grilled food, salads, sushi, pizza/subs, vegan, ethnic and homestyle meals. All those choices mean numerous food preparation and serving stations need to be constructed. “There’s lot’s of plumbing and electrical on this floor,” McCurdy said. “And the ventilation system is going to be high-tech, with the system constantly being monitored for temperature, CO2 and exhaust. It will know when to exhaust when needed and when to bring in fresh air when needed.”

Virtually all major mechanical, electrical and ventilation will be replaced during this renovation, and MSU is seeking LEED certification for the building’s numerous green building features. As part of that process, McCurdy said more than 90 percent of the construction materials removed during the renovation will be recycled. Easing the handling and recycling of waste materials will also be integrated into the design of the new building.

The building itself is being totally reconfigured during the $49.8 million renovation. A new grand entrance that will allow plenty of sunlight is being erected on the building’s south side. The view of the main entrance of the building is currently dominated by a temporary bathroom trailer (necessary since the interior public restrooms are out of commission) and temporary heating units keep diners and food service staff comfortable. Loading docks will also be moved.

The first floor of Brody Hall will be devoted to classroom, computer instruction and administrative space. MSU found temporary room for those operations in other buildings.

Bruce Haskell, associate director for MSU Dining Services, told State News:  “The main Brody building is a huge space. We want to create an entry point to campus that makes a statement. We’re going to build a new, unique, dynamic and interactive gathering space to try and bring MSU up to where we need to be.”

NEARLY UNTOUCHED since the mid-1950s, Brody Hall on the campus of Michigan State University is getting a wholesale makeover. The building’s primary function is to provide 18-hour-a-day food service to MSU students and staff. Shown here is the framework for the new grand entrance.



ELECTRICIAN Steve Karkau of IBEW Local 665 sets conduit in Brody Hall’s mechanical area. He’s employed by Superior Electric.