The New Jamrich construction project continues as students, faculty and staff at Northern Michigan University prepare to leave the campus for summer vacation.

With the 2013-14 academic year winding down, the NMU Engineering and Planning department said the New Jamrich building is nearing completion, on schedule and on budget, including the construction of the connecting pathway between New Jamrich and the Learning Resources Center.

Kathy Richards, associate vice president of NMU Engineering and Planning, said the project is still staying on course to be completed in the near-future.

“Construction is progressing well,” Richards said. “Offices on the second and third floor are being painted and carpeting is being installed. We are all excited about the opportunities that the New Jamrich Hall will provide for the students, faculty, staff and community.”

With the addition of the connection between the two buildings, Richards said the link will assist people walking between both buildings during harsher weather.

“A connector link between Jamrich Hall and the LRC was included in the original project scope to capitalize on the space adjacencies within the two buildings and reduce the need to duplicate services such as with laptop assistance and food service,” Richards said.  The construction was purposely held off until the end of the project to minimize the impact on pedestrian traffic flow in the academic mall as long as possible during winter semester.”

According to Engineering and Planning, the construction has maintained its budget during the course of its development, with the total project cost slated at $33,400,000 with state appropriation equivalent to $25,050,000.

Jim Thams, associate director of Engineering and Planning, said the addition of the connecting path is going as smoothly as the rest of the construction.

“It’s going great,” Thams said. “The footings are in and the steel is in. The steel deck is on up above. Block is supposed to go in this week. The big thing was getting the footings in the ground and getting the structural steel up. We finished that two weeks ago.”

Thams also said, when students, faculty and staff return to NMU after the summer, they should be expecting to see many changes to the campus around the new building.

“When students come back, the building will be done, open and ready for use,” Thams said. “When [students] get back, faculty will be in, Starbucks will be open and the building will be ready to go. The old Jamrich building will be torn down. We will still be working on site restoration for the old site when everyone starts returning.”

While the old JXJ building will no longer exist for returning students, Richards said Gries Hall will not be razed before the fall 2014 semester begins and will still be operational.

“Gries Hall will still house the Health Center, Military Science, and Psychology [departments] next year,” Richards said. “No physical changes are planned this upcoming year.”

Thams said furniture will start moving in on Saturday, June 28 or Monday, June 30. Faculty members are expected to start moving in on Friday, July 30. Thams said the faculty will be all moved in within two weeks of that date.

According to Engineering and Planning, the building is still slated to be completed by August 2014.

“This project has been a pleasure to work on,” Richards said. “Everyone involved from NMU, the architectural and engineering firms and construction companies has had a “can do” or ”get ‘er done” attitude.  We are all excited about the opportunities that the new Jamrich Hall will provide for the students, faculty, staff and community.  This facility will enhance the teaching and learning environment as well as significantly change the landscape of the academic mall.  This project will have a major and long lasting impact on the university.”

Thams said a great deal of thanks goes to the project’s contracting company.

“It’s really been a great project to work on,” Thams said. “A lot of that has to do with the contractor, Myron Construction. We are on time and the contractors are working hard because of them.”

For more information regarding New Jamrich, visit www.nmu.edu/newjamrich for the remaining construction schedule.