Akers Hall Renovations

Akers Hall in MSU’s East Neighborhood was built in 1964 and serves as a student dorm and cafeteria with some classrooms and office space. The building needed numerous updates, including improvements to the student lounges and cafeteria, the power system, cooling for multiple locations, and upgrades to match current safety codes.

A new fire alarm and fire suppression system was installed throughout the entire 391,000 square foot building. All 24 student lounges had technological advancements including wireless internet access. A new curtain wall was constructed to enhance the efficiency of the facility. The renovation included new chillers, switchgear, air handling units, structural steel grillage, and a new ADA accessible ramp.

In addition to providing construction management services, Christman is self-performing the cast-in-place concrete foundation for the new elevator, the concrete for the ADA ramp and other miscellaneous concrete. Christman worked with MSU and SHW Group to validate a variety of design schemes throughout pre-construction. The Christman team was able to eliminate costly portions of work and offer comparable solutions as the design progressed, keeping the client within the desired budget while still achieving the overall project goals. A key challenge with this project is limited accessibility, as the site only allows for access primarily from the north side of the building. The second floor of the central building will be occupied throughout the complete duration of the project and student towers will be occupied during the final portion of the project. These circumstances create phasing challenges, so a well-planned schedule is being utilized to minimize disruptions to the building occupants.