HOUGHTON – Michigan Technological University has sponsored major construction projects in recent years, but two ongoing simultaneous jobs are twice as nice for the building trades.

The U.P. university is spending $35 million for a complete gutting and renovation of Wadsworth Hall, as well as lesser work at two other halls. In addition, Michigan Tech is building the new $31 million Center for Integrated Learning and Information Technology, for a total of about $66 million in major construction activity.

“Things are pretty busy on campus, but they’re going well,” said Mike Wilmers, project manager for MTU’s Facilities Management. “The tradespeople have been very good.”

Wadsworth Hall, the university’s largest residence hall with 1,200 occupants, will be completely gutted as part of this project, which is being led by Boldt Construction. The university built Wadsworth Hall in two phases, with the first completed in 1955 and the second in 1959. This is the first major renovation since the building was completed.

New wiring, plumbing and sprinklers will be installed at Wadsworth. Then, the renovated building will have more rooms with private baths, and there will be additional laundry, study and kitchenette spaces spread throughout the building.

“We need to make the life, health safety, and accessibility improvements,” said Bill Blumhardt, director of facilities management at the university. “But we also need to meet the demands of our marketplace. We are primarily a residential campus and outdated facilities can turn away prospective students.”

Meanwhile, the Center for Integrated Learning and Information Technology is being built by general contractor Miron Construction and about 100 construction workers. The center will house the departments of Computer Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics and would integrate related program elements.

The project will include renovation of the existing 80,000-square-foot Van Pelt Library and the 112,000-square-foot Fisher Hall, with construction of a new 140,000-square-foot addition that would link the two existing structures. The library will have 50 public computers and will provide wireless computer access. A digital studio is planned that will allow students and faculty to integrate information from print, the Internet, sound recordings or film into their work. The entire project is expected to be complete next January.

Michigan Tech, founded in 1885 in the Keewenaw Peninsula, is included in the top-50 public national universities in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges. The university has 6,000 students and has been rated the safest college to attend in Michigan.

The Huskies embrace the cold weather on campus with an annual winter carnival, but Wilmers said spring and warmer temperatures won’t come early enough this year. The Center for Integrated Learning and Information Technology project is enclosed with Visqueen, allowing work to proceed through the winter, but the heating bill for January was about $22,000.

“Obviously,Visqueen isn’t much of an insulator,” Wilmers said with a laugh.

CHECKING PLANS for the Wadsworth Hall renovation at Michigan Tech are Pauline Miller and Ted Wahtola of IBEW Local 219.

THE CENTER for Integrated Learning and Information Technology at Michigan Tech has been enclosed in Visqueen this winter. The plastic is a poor insulator, which was not an inexpensive consideration in the chilly Keweenaw Peninsula. Photos courtesy of Michigan Tech/Ryan Rizor