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$73 million in construction projects planned at Miami University

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By Meagan Engle, Staff Writer 5:07 PM Friday, February 3, 2012

OXFORD — Miami University is preparing construction projects totaling more than $73 million.

The university plans to construct a new residence hall and a new dining hall, and renovate Cook Field, the equestrian center and another residence hall.

The housing and dining projects are part of a 15-year plan for renovations and new construction, which includes three new residence halls on western campus.

“In the fall of 2014, this campus is going to look a lot different,” said Finance Director David Creamer.

Creamer said students will come to a campus that is “more attractive” and “is even more responsive to their needs.”

Many of the facilities currently lack the ability to adjust the temperature in an individual room, have smaller square footage and out-of-date shower facilities.

“Our buildings are well maintained, they have a lot of character to them, but we’re behind,” Creamer said. “We can do better and we’re not that far away from being able to do that.”

Projects approved for bid, including contingency, by the Board of Trustees Friday are:

• A new residence hall in the Morrison-Emerson-Tappan quad and a dining hall on western campus, at a cost not to exceed $42.5 million.

“We bundled these two projects. We think there will be some economy there,” Creamer said.

• Renovations to Bishop Hall, not to exceed $7.15 million, including new mechanical, electrical, data, fire suppression systems, new accessible restrooms, a new elevator and improvements to the building’s exterior.

• Cook Field renovations not to exceed $3,492,500. The project will include repaving the running track, replacing the backstops, new equipment storage and restrooms facing Ohio 73, installing partial synthetic turf and replanting natural turf.

“Students use this site very intensely,” said university architect Bob Keller.

• Phase one improvements to the equestrian center, which is used by more than 600 students, at a cost no larger than $1.98 million. The project will raise the existing outdoor riding areas and paddocks out of the flood plain.

“It’s not uncommon that we have ducks swimming out there because we have a foot or two of water,” Keller said.

“We shouldn’t have the animals in these conditions,” Creamer said.

Phase two, not currently proposed, could add an indoor riding area at the center.

• Infrastructure improvements on western campus not to exceed $14.85 million. The project includes heating, cooling, storm water, sanitary and domestic water, natural gas and data lines to support the construction of the new western campus residence and dining facilities.

• Infrastructure improvements for the Maple Street site, which will be a dining hall with housing above. Improvements including steam, chilled water, storm water, sanitary and domestic water, natural gas and data lines. The cost is not to exceed $3.85 million.

“We’ve already borrowed enough financing to cover those housing and dinning projects,” Creamer told a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees Thursday.

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