EMU begins work on Pray Harrold renovation project

Construction crews are starting to warm up for work on Eastern Michigan University’s Pray Harrold building, but they probably won’t be immediately visible. The home to the university’s College of Arts & Sciences is showing all of the signs of construction, such as it being fenced off and the obvious absence of students and faculty. However, a majority of the work for the $42 million project will take place in the interior. The exterior work isn’t set to begin until the end of the construction timeline in mid 2011.”It’s an internal bones-oriented project to turn the second floor into prime student space,” says Geoff Larcom, a spokesman for Eastern Michigan University.The university will replace many of the core systems in the building, such as electrical and mechanical. This is the first significant work done on the building since it was built in 1969. The university is also working to make the project as environmentally friendly as possible, going to LEED certification.In the mean time, the university has moved its faculty and staff from the building to other parts of the EMU campus. Those employees and classes will be temporarily housed in other buildings, such as Halle Library, Bowen Field House and Hoyt and King halls.Source: Geoff Larcom, a spokesman for Eastern Michigan UniversityWriter: Jon Zemke