Renovation in Emmons Hall is now complete.
Emmons Hall - Brody Neighborhood
The renovations planned for Emmons Hall will be comparable to Mayo Hall’s renovations, which were completed in fall of 2009, but will feature a contemporary design that is true to the Brody Neighborhood’s origins.
The main entrance of Emmons will be renovated and will include glass walls. All student balconies will be removed and the community bathrooms, located on each floor, will receive new plumbing and will be renovated.
The first-floor renovations of Emmons will include a new entry corridor and reception, mail, recycling and lounge areas. The second floor will have a spacious lounge, private study areas and a music room. The third floor will have study rooms and a lounge, as well as a community kitchen and laundry room. Finally, the fourth floor will have three study rooms, a game room and will be home to the caucus room, which will include a large conference table.
Additionally, the renovations will include major mechanical, electrical and ventilation upgrades, elevator replacement, asbestos abatement, lighting upgrades, flooring and ceiling replacements and service desk modifications.
Construction is planned to begin in May 2010 and will be complete by August 2011. The hall will be open to students in fall of 2011.
For more details, please view www.liveon.msu.edu/pdf/EmmonsHall.pdf (PDF).
With the exception of adding landscaping, the newly constructed amphitheatre near Emmons Hall’s main entrance is complete. Workers are now laying a porous sidewalk around the amphitheatre and leading to the hall’s entrance. (This unique porous sidewalk consists of tiny rubber scraps that are connected together by a binding solution, usually made of asphalt.)
Sidewalks leading to Emmons Hall are now completed. Benches, tables and chairs now lay on the sidewalk in front of Emmons’ entrance, creating an outdoor patio for students. Landscaping has been planted around the resident hall and an amphitheatre located on Emmons’ front lawn is being constructed, with curved framing for seating in place. Workers plan to complete the amphitheatre by the end of fall.
Inside, lobby furniture is set up and in appropriate positions. Wall signs near doorways guide students to resources such as laundry and Guest Services.
In Emmons Hall, the first-floor one- and two-bedroom apartments now have new furniture in the living, kitchen and bedroom areas. In each apartment, a couch, chair and tables adorn the living area, while tall c0unter stools sit at the polished counters facing the kitchen, which is now fully equipped with black Energy Star appliances. Although not yet in place, headboards and drawers have arrived for the bedrooms.
Elsewhere, new couches, chairs and tables have arrived for lobby areas, study lounges and sitting areas, and work is being done to place everything in its designated location. Outside of Emmons Hall, workers are prepping to pour concrete for a sidewalk that will lead to an entryway.
At Emmons Hall, workers are busy preparing for the return of students this fall. Workers continue to pour concrete at a site where several sidewalks throughout Brody Neighborhood adjoin. This circular commons area closest to Emmons’ exterior will feature a kiosk once concrete is in place. A basketball court next to Emmons has been demolished, and will be moved to another location in Brody Neighborhood.
The water main project continues as workers are connecting the water main to outside sources, so that if an issue were to arise, water would still be available. Also, concrete work is being done on a sidewalk outside of an entryway and workers prep for the installation of a small outdoor patio next to the site. Inside, new couches and chairs for the lobby have arrived, and newly obtained trash cans will be placed in all residence hall rooms. New chairs and white boards have been positioned in the caucus room.
The southeast entrance to Emmons Hall is finally receiving finishing touches in the form of metal tiling to match other entrances and the exterior of Brody Hall. In the stairwells, new lighting has been installed along with painted numbers, indicating each level. Finally, mailboxes have been installed in the Emmons lobby.
The lobby at Emmons Hall has received several upgrades over the past two weeks including the installation of wall and ceiling finishes in the reception area, a new service desk countertop, carpeting, decorative finishes on lobby benches and an architectural accent wall.
Window blinds are now installed in the majority of resident rooms and shelving units have been installed in Emmons’ resident singles. All stairwell railings have received finishing touches in addition to new, grey rubber atop all stairs. Further, colorful numbers indicating each level have been painted on the walls in each stairwell.
Finally, the third-floor community kitchen has received two of its appliances and concrete for the entrance steps at Emmons’ southwest exterior has been poured.
Construction at Emmons Hall continues to make strides toward completion. New railings are now in place in all stairwells and community bathrooms have seen the installation of sink dividers and of bathroom mirrors. After recently receiving approval, the Emmons elevator is now in working order and the current installation of resident room blinds is set to move quickly.
The semi-private study areas on either end of Emmons’ reception now have glass windows in place to help block sound from the lobby. In the lobby itself, the benches surrounding each pillar have received backing and await finishing touches. Finally, work in the first-floor one and two bedroom apartments is moving at rapidly as the kitchens await appliances and all other rooms are relatively complete.
The front reception desk at Emmons Hall now has tiling around the base of the desk, similar to the tiles in Emmons’ bathrooms. Throughout resident wings and near all window walls, fin tube radiators have been installed, ideal for keeping heat inside.
The stairwell exits throughout Emmons are in the process of receiving new, metal doors, some of which are already installed. On the third floor, the eSuds and Spartan Cash scanners have been installed in the laundry room. Outside, workers have finished pouring concrete to frame all sidewalks and entryways around Emmons, the majority of which is now dry.
Emmons continues to improve at a rapid pace. Drywall is now in place, completing the frame for Emmons’ front desk (reception) area. On the third floor, the laundry wall is now up and cabinetry and lighting are installed in the community kitchen.
In the stairwells, metal molding has been installed to provide finishing touches to the window interiors. Also, all single resident rooms have received new radiator covers. Finally, the fourth floor bathroom now has hand dryers, resident lockers, toilet and shower/changing stalls, and sink dividers in place. Further, brand-new fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) doors are installed throughout the community bathrooms.
Significant progress has been made around the perimeter of Emmons Hall, with all sidewalk framing complete and concrete for north exterior round steps poured and molded.
Moving to the interior of Emmons, ceiling framing and alarm installation is complete on the third level. Also on the third level, tile flooring for the community kitchen is now in place and hallway carpeting continues progress. First-floor unisex bathrooms are quickly moving along with almost all tile work complete, and the protective railing on the second-floor, open lobby is installed.
Outside the north stairwell of Emmons Hall, the exterior round steps are now framed; however, as a result of Monday’s snow, production has come to a temporary halt. Throughout the interior of Emmons, progress continues at rapid pace. Since our last update, workers have installed ceiling tiles, smoke detectors and sprinklers, emergency phones, and carpet throughout residential hallways.
Additionally, community bathrooms have seen the installation of showerheads, faucets, sinks and toilets (awaiting only stalls and mirrors). Drinking fountains have also been installed outside bathroom entrances. Finally, wood flooring is now installed within all resident single rooms and inside the black caucus room on the fourth floor.
“EXIT” signs were installed throughout Emmons Hall over the past week, in addition to metal tiling that decorates the roof surface. Further, temporary construction walls at the ends of residence hall corridors have officially been replaced with final windows, adding a significant amount of natural light to all hallways.
Tile work continues in Emmons’ community bathrooms, this time on the third floor. Also, the Emmons laundry room (on the third floor) is beginning to take shape with all plumbing installed and workers have begun to paint the walls of floor study areas. On the first floor, the apartments have seen the installation of wall board and some bathroom fixtures, namely the shower. Resident mailboxes are also now framed.
Tile work in community bathrooms continues with all floor tiling throughout the fourth-floor women’s bathroom just about complete, including those inside the private showers and border tiling. Ceiling lighting is being wired in order to illuminate resident peep holes above all resident room doors.
In the lounge areas on each floor, glass walls are framed and will soon have glass installed. In the first-floor lobby, the reception desk is framed and some of the offices behind the desk have received boarding. Outside, the new window wall, designed to allow more light into the resident corridors, is finally framed and ready for its windows.
Ceilings continue to be framed at Emmons Hall and framework is now in place within the main lobby, first floor lounge areas and throughout fourth floor residence corridors.
The fourth-floor bathroom is well on its way to have floor tiling complete, with plans for workers to continue working top-down (beginning next with the third-floor then second-floor bathrooms). Lastly, drywall is in place to frame out the main lobby, revealing an internal window from one of the platform lounges into the space.
Workers have completed floor installation on Emmons Hall’s fourth level and continue to work downward. On both the third and fourth floors, the exterior walls of the community bathrooms have new paint treatments as the bathroom areas continue to progress. Painters are also hard at work completing the maze-like accents throughout residential hallways.
Downstairs in the lobby areas, a soffit-style ceiling is being framed. (Soffit-style is the effect created when the entire ceiling is not framed, creating a “half ceiling” effect.) Outside, workers have laid clip metal for the placement of metal window accents.
Focus seems to have shifted slightly within the residential wings of Emmons Hall from the community bathrooms to the installation of flooring throughout residence hall rooms, from 9"x9" tiles to vinyl strip flooring. Work is continuing in the bathrooms with sink installation.
The main floor boasts the most progress in the past weeks, however, as workers continue to frame the public restrooms, stairwell entrance and reception area.
Much of the progress within Emmons Hall continues to be focused on the residential wings, specifically the community bathrooms. In the past week, workers began the process of prepping the bathrooms for tiling by laying a cement base. In addition, painting continues throughout resident rooms (as some floors are not yet finished). Construction of newly framed rooms is progressing, namely the installation of board onto room walls.
The first floor of Emmons Hall has made major headway since we last mentioned it with framework in place shaping the two-bedroom apartment, as well as the offices off of the reception desk. Throughout the remainder of the building, ceiling frames have been installed in the study lounge areas.
The north stairwell at Emmons Hall now has all window treatments. The bathrooms throughout Emmons continue to progress, and on the fourth floor, steel framing is in place for all countertops. Further, workers have painted or laid the foundation to paint all resident rooms (in a soft green color).
Throughout all floors, ceilings are framed and, in some places, have begun to be installed. Finally, the stairwell on the fourth floor that leads to the roof has been installed.
The south window wall at Emmons Hall has been framed and awaits window treatments. The bathrooms on each level have experienced quite a bit of progress since December; none more so than on the fourth floor, where ceilings are finished and all tiling is in place. The laundry room on Emmons’ third floor has been framed and duct work is being installed. In the main lobby, concrete has been laid surrounding three large columns, the base of which will provide seating. Throughout most floors, boarding is in place and will be plastered.
One of the main tasks at Brody’s Emmons Hall as of late has been winter-proofing the building for the icy cold season. Other work has continued, especially in the building’s B wing. The private, single rooms are now framed on each level. In addition, the window wall, which stretches the exterior from the second to fourth levels, is now in place and awaits window treatments. The wall will open up B-wing hallways, providing natural light to the residence. On the main level, framing is in place for both access ramp railings and study lounge areas.
Metal wire is now in place in the fourth-floor bathroom so that workers can plaster the ceiling. Concrete was laid, creating the floors for the third- and fourth-level residence hall single rooms.
Outside, the majority of the framed window walls have received their treatments, and the east and south wing air handling units are installed. In addition, new exterior roofing is being installed on the south end.
New dirt has been laid near the concrete planters to provide support for the concrete which will eventually be laid to the exterior, circular entrance staircases. In addition, the interior lobby ramps are complete and the nearby bathrooms continue to take shape.
Both the north interior courtyard and south walls have new window treatments. Further, a section of the fourth-floor ceiling has been cut, making way for a new staff stairwell leading to the air handling unit. The air handling unit is now completely enclosed and protected from weather damages. Lastly, workers have completed roofing preparations and all rocks are in place to help insulate and hold down the roof.
Metal work is in place for the laying of concrete within the lobby ramps on the east and west sides. Structural steel is also in place, making way for the window walls at each corner stairwell.
The main-floor bathrooms are taking shape with the brick now laid for both walls and individual shower stalls. Upstairs on the fourth floor, the model room is complete with new, homey design touches (student tours are now coming to a close).
Emmons Hall hosted student tours this past week and more than 70 have already signed up to live in the building for fall 2011. The model room on the fourth floor is complete.
The building as a whole has yet to be closed off, but framing is in place for one wall of windows on the east side of the courtyard and workers have put down the backing for metal siding, similar to that on the exterior of Brody Hall. In addition, the forum is in place for planters near the exterior side entrance stairs. Lastly, plumbing in the main-level bathrooms is complete.
Construction workers at Emmons are hard at work preparing for upcoming student tours and attempting to close off the building as most of the exterior walls are still missing. Student rooms have received heating control units so that all heat can be monitored from individual units.
The model room is still coming along, including new electrical outlets, and workers have begun to lay the new vinyl flooring in many of the residence hall rooms. Lastly, the groundwork has been laid for a new circular staircase leading up to the north entrance (the same will exist on the west entrance).
The air handling unit has been installed on Emmons’ rooftop and workers are focused on insulating and raising the wall surrounding the machine. On the ground, steel framing is in place near the east planter. Finally, the fourth floor residence hall rooms will soon have new heater coverings.
On the east side wall of Emmons Hall, facing Harrison Ave., bricks have been laid. In addition, a planter is in place outside the ground level. On the fourth floor, continues to move the framework is in place for a storage closet and painting is complete in the model resident space. On the exterior where balconies have been removed, excess cement has been replaced with brick.
A second side of Emmons Hall is now equipped with the new window treatments. The lobby second floor demolition is now officially complete and the new space is starting to take shape. In addition, two lobby staircases have been knocked out, making way instead for accessible ramps into each living quarter wing. Electrical and plumbing work continues on the fourth level and bricks are being laid on the exterior side that faces Harrison Road.
Emmons Hall is just a few concrete rectangles away from having the second floor, above the lobby, completely removed, opening up the space. The fourth floor community bathroom is moving along nicely with plumbing and electrical installation close to finish and the framework for stalls and showers are also in place. In addition, contractors are hard at work touching up the residence hall rooms and preparing one to be a model. Outside, the weather protection is in place on the exterior wall facing Harrison and bricks are to be laid next week.
Similar to Brody’s Phase II, the Emmons project is really progressing. Contractors are hard at work removing a section of the second floor to open up space for the two-story lobby. Since the balconies were removed, new walls have been constructed and new single rooms, nine in total, are slowly being created in the process.
The remainder of the northwest exterior has received new window treatments. On the roof, penthouse spaces for various electrical units are taking shape and steel framing adds to the new look.
Emmons Hall continues to complete duct work and demolition. The most recent happenings include complete removal of all balconies, the last of which will be gone by Monday.
In addition, the team has secured structural steel over the building to maintain worker safety and removed all old window treatments, recycling as much as possible. Finally, the first of many new windows has been installed with plenty more where that came from so stay tuned.
Demolition continues at Emmons Hall as more walls have been removed, opening up space for larger window treatments. Workers are chiseling the original ceiling away.
All windows have been removed from the front lobby and remaining wall is being demolished to make room for floor-to-ceiling windows. Balconies are being removed on two sides of the building and electrical technicians have been hard at work implanting sockets on the fourth floor.
The front lobby of Emmons has been completely stripped and opened up. The remaining floors are still undergoing demolition, in preparation for the renovations to come this fall. Outside, toward the front, some of the balcony railings have been removed and are awaiting windows for the new window walls, which will bring more natural light into the hallways.
This week, demolition is happening on each floor, including the main floor where the service center and lobby have both been gutted.
The ceilings in the fourth- and third-floor bathrooms have been removed, and each floor’s center hallway is being demolished to make space for study rooms, lounges and increased natural lighting.
Demolition continues throughout Emmons with an entire hallway having been demolished on the fourth floor in preparation to construct a large, open study area. Original four-person rooms at the ends of the student corridors are also being demolished to become two-person rooms and to extend the hallway to the window and enable natural light to enter. Piping throughout the residence hall is being removed and will be recycled at the MSU Recycling Center.
The wall closing off the existing study room on the fourth floor was completely demolished. Demolition of one of the bathrooms has been completed and the debris has been removed. Large bins outside of the hall are collecting metal scraps to be sent to the MSU Surplus for recycling. Installations this week included sprinkler systems in the student rooms.
Demolition is in full swing at Emmons. The fourth-floor bathrooms are nearly unrecognizable and many walls have been torn down. Demolition on the fourth-floor caucus room has begun and all older heat exchanges have been removed.
Ceiling and carpeting have been removed from student corridors on every floor of Emmons. With demolition and construction beginning on the top floor and working its way down, the fourth floor is already undergoing a lot of changes. The bathrooms are nearly demolished, with only a couple of stalls left standing. Some hallway walls have also been demolished to make room for open study lounges. Air exchanges and shelving units have been dismantled and prepped for refinishing.