The Michigan Union is one of the many treasures on the University of Michigan’s campus.
A place to eat, study and relax with friends among an architectural wonder that harkens back to the rich history of the 200-year-old university.
Walbridge was hired by the university to provide construction management services on the most extensive renovation on the facility since it opened in 1919.
Working with U-M and architect Integrated Design Solutions, the building was transformed into a hub that will serve generations of students.
During the 20-month schedule, Walbridge gave the facility a full infrastructure overhaul, upgrading heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, elevators, and roof replacement as well as working with Full Spectrum Stained Glass to restore 540 of the building’s original windows. The full project included:
- Renovations to student organization, collaboration and involvement spaces
- Deep infrastructure upgrades and renewal of building systems
- Partial renovations to common spaces, lounges and offices
- Overall historical restoration
The University of Michigan’s actively pursued student opinions on making the Union a treasure for the next 100 years.
The historic preservation and restoration of the building is felt throughout and one of the first areas that new visitors gravitate toward is the new interior courtyard.
A vision of the Michigan Union Board of Representatives since the 1980s, the courtyard provides a brand new area for special events or simply to watch a big game along with the signature Block M that adorns the flooring.
The former outdoor area was reinvented to serve as a social space for all seasons with a glass roof and curved arches to provide an aesthetic of connection to the first and second floors. Using an exact process, the construction team used cranes to install the “ribs” of the glass roof in a specific way to match sequencing and phasing of this process. The erection of the courtyard ribs took roughly a week and the result is a beautifully lit, comfortable space where the University of Michigan hosted their reopening celebration in January 2020.
Student Services and IdeaHub
The ground floor serves as space for restaurants, a market and Barnes and Noble, while the first and second floors provide collaborative study spaces, meeting areas for university events and updates throughout.
Another of the many hallmarks of this project is U-M’s IdeaHub – which is an area on the second floor that student organizations can collaborate and cowork. Including a presentation area, meeting rooms, creation spaces and an open section for multiple teams to commune, this innovative update provides unlimited possibilities for groups.
The third and fourth floor provide updated offices for many student services and updated event areas while providing amazing views of campus and the building.
While improving accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act throughout the entire building, the renovated spaces also enhance meeting, counseling, and student services spaces. It also addressed maintenance including electrical, mechanical, and plumbing system improvements; elevator replacements and upgrades; replacement of the roof and windows; interior finish upgrades on floors one through four; and restroom upgrades.