Pioneer renovations, addition progressing ahead of schedule

Faculty offices nearly done, should be ready for use by July

March 19, 2007 —

by Christina Dillbeck

A bricklayer helps construct a wall inside Pioneer Hall's new addition. Large windows are a prominent feature of the new building.

by Christina Dillbeck

A pipefitter works on the first floor of Pioneer Hall on Friday afternoon. The first floor will house mostly labs and shops. It will feature a concrete floor as opposed to carpet.

A tepid December has put the renovations of Pioneer Hall ahead of schedule, moving the projected completion of the building to July according to Director of Construction and Maintenance Operations Gerald Stuart.

The move-in stage is now likely to take place during the middle of June, with the finishing touches being put on over the following weeks.

The building, which will house the Department of Science, Engineering and Technology - in addition to providing class and meeting space for the University as a whole - will feature a great abundance and variety of labs than it did before the renovations.

Among the labs will be ones designated for areas like automotive, research, and robotics.

A computer lab that will be open to the public will be another one of the building's offerings.

Although the renovated Pioneer Hall will have many unique traits, the majority of them will not be noticeable to the average person.

In an attempt to maintain a cohesive-looking environment, the building will be aesthetically similar to others around campus.

The glass and brick used, for instance, strongly resembles those used for the other buildings.

According to Assistant Vice President of Campus Facilities, Stephen Hocquard, this is desirable because universities are one of the few remaining places with the ability to produce harmonious environments.

"If you go to some of the 15th and 16th century downtowns in Europe, you will understand the beauty that can be seen," Hocquard said. "These cities were developed when materials and crafts were limited in range, but had enough differences to be creative without losing the look of a cohesive environment."

Hocquard contrasts this with the anything-goes look of Bay Road/Euclid Avenue in Bay City, and Mission Street in Mt. Pleasant.

One challenge facing the project was bridging the addition with the existing building. A ventilation system was built on the existing roof because of space constraints between floors. There is also a slight incline between the old and new portions of Pioneer Hall.

Spence Brothers Construction Company has served as the construction manager, a job that requires them to propose key players in the project and offer recommended methods for estimation and safety. The company was selected on the basis of their qualifications and fee.

All subcontractors were selected through a bidding process against other qualified firms after the plans were completed.