Eastern Michigan University, located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and Providence, Rhode Island-based Gilbane Development Co. have broken ground on a three-year development partnership known as “Welcome Home 2025,” which will add two new student housing facilities, demolish outdated buildings and renovate existing living space on campus.
The new buildings, Lakeview Apartments and Westview Apartments, will include a total of 700 beds in apartment-style living arrangements. The Lakeview Apartments will be located next to the student center at EMU, while the Westview Apartments will be built between the main campus and the west campus, which has many of the university’s athletic facilities.
Renovations to existing student housing will include new air conditioning, new bathrooms, technology upgrades and shared amenity spaces designed to facilitate social interaction, according to a press release. Seven buildings will be demolished, including the old Westview Apartments. All EMU housing, including the two new properties, will continue to be managed by the university and its staff.
The planning process for Welcome Home 2025 included a four-month engagement and feedback process with faculty, staff, students, campus organizations and stakeholders. The finalized plan reflects a desire to bring the university’s housing up to modern standards, provide quality control, incorporate resident feedback and maintain the properties as affordable in the long term, the release said.
“This initiative, which is the result of tremendous work, commitment and feedback from our university community, ensures access to quality, affordable housing that meets the needs of today’s students,” said James Smith, president of Eastern Michigan University, a public university with approximately 15,000 students, in the press release. “This is a critical milestone for the university and the quality of our students’ experience, and I cannot wait to see how these new spaces will foster student growth and success for years to come.”
Gilbane Development is the project’s developer, and Gilbane Building Co., Lansing, Michigan-based Clark Construction Co. and Portage, Michigan-based AVB Inc. will serve as design-builders. Gilbane will also hire, train and supervise the properties’ maintenance and custodial staff.
“This is a first-of-its-kind, truly holistic campus modernization project,” said Edward Broderick, president and chief executive officer of Gilbane Development in the press release. “Through this exciting and productive partnership, we will execute new builds, demolition and renovation work simultaneously – an extraordinary undertaking that allows EMU to reimagine the university experience for students for many years to come.”
