Originally constructed in 1976, the GRCC Ford Natatorium is being transformed from an underutilized aquatic space into a modern fitness and recreation center designed to meet the evolving needs of GRCC students, faculty, staff, and the community.

The new recreation center will include an indoor turf gymnasium, fitness areas, student lounge spaces, athletic offices, a nutrition center, Zoom rooms, and multipurpose spaces designed for collaboration. Additionally, the concept of a “third place” offers students a welcoming space beyond academics, enhancing connections across campus.

Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) has offered classes on the Lakeshore, spread out in four locations, for more than 20 years. With programs in disparate locations and in small, leased available spaces in buildings through the area, serving students and maintaining fiscal responsibility was a challenge on top of restricted growth.

The college purchased the former JCPenney in The Shops at Westshore Mall in the heart of Holland Township to become a consolidated GRCC Lakeshore Campus, committed to serving Lakeshore learners of all ages. One consolidated campus creates synergy and collaboration across programs that are physically co-located, and provides opportunities for operational efficiencies and partnerships with Grand Valley State University’s Meijer campus as well as other area colleges. The 52,000 square-foot campus facility gives GRCC flexibility to grow into the much-larger space and establishes a strong presence, truly embedding the college – and education – in a community.

This renovation and addition project will transform the Stadium Club at Western Michigan University (WMU)’s Waldo Stadium Field from primarily game day use to a 24/7/365 a year entertaining, fundraising, and intimate conversation space. The goal of the updated suite is to offer an elegant and welcoming experience to patrons unique to WMU.

A more modern and luxurious feel within the space, enhanced by high-end finishes and unique backgrounds, will add an excitement that can be easily shared on social media channels.

Saugatuck Public Schools successfully passed a $35.6 million bond in 2020 to update their district’s aging elementary and middle / high school facilities. Significant upgrades to Douglas Elementary School, originally built in the early 1950s, were proposed to enhance the students’ overall learning environment.  

Along with infrastructure improvements, the updated school design brings new opportunities to students through modern education spaces, flexible furniture, outdoor-based learning, and collaborative-focused commons areas. This project also rethinks the main entrance to enhance hospitality and security, creating a positive and welcoming first impression that is “Uniquely Saugatuck.”

Two learning commons at the heart of the facility were a focal point of the renovation. With the goal of increasing attraction to the core spaces of the elementary school, the learning commons create a welcoming environment that draws students in to engage with the extended learning areas and new technology. A new student support area near the commons center also offers special education and counseling services that are easily accessible to the whole building. Creating transparent connections, internally and externally, creates excitement around the learning that is visible and increases natural light throughout the building. Throughout the facility, expanded classrooms spaces, new lockers, and refreshed aesthetics will carry on the welcoming feeling to early learners. Renovated science, music, and art spaces also give students up-to-date materials that enhance their curriculum.

East Lansing Public Schools passed a bond proposal to replace all five of the buildings being used as elementary schools. The district is unique in that there is a large percentage of students that walk or bike to school, with the elementary schools nestled into established neighborhoods. When it came time to redesign the schools, a primary driver was that they fit into the same “neighborhood school” model. 

The school district’s vision for the new Glencairn Elementary was to create environments where 21st century learning could take place. It was also a priority to create spaces where the students enjoyed learning and the staff enjoyed teaching. One way was for our team to carefully consider connections that could be made linking indoors to outdoors visually and physically.  

With a growing community, Allendale Public Schools was looking to expand their early childhood program to a new facility. This new 66,000 square foot building serves up to 350 students and 35 staff members.

Monroe County Community College (MCCC) is a public community college in Southeast Michigan. Built in 1967, the college serves over 3,000 students. Conventional HVAC systems heated and cooled five original campus buildings with steam and chilled water. In the late 70’s, central steam infrastructure began to break down, leading MCCC to convert to a distributed hot water boiler solution. Recently, the aging chilled water system also began to fail which required the college to utilize a temporary rental chiller to provide campus cooling.  This led MCCC to pursue planning for a long-term solution for the original campus buildings.

MCCC began to evaluate what a new infrastructure system would look like. A newer campus building was running on geothermal heat pump energy, and MCCC felt that this could be a solution for the original campus buildings as well. They desire to be a community leader, setting an example in environmental stewardship. The timing of these improvements also coincided with a bond issue vote to seek funding for facilities and infrastructure upgrades. Looking at alternate energy solutions helped position MCCC as good stewards of resources.

Better drainage and a post-tensioned concrete surface give players an edge and owners an award.

The University of Michigan’s competition asphalt courts were developing substantial cracks in all four batteries. GMB was retained to design a post tension concrete solution, which has a greater resistance to cracking, superior surface drainage and is less susceptible to the effects of climate than asphalt.

The courts were tiered in two elevations, making subdrainage a challenge. The existing subdrainage system was also compromised by poor soils and was not draining properly. New subdrainage was specified at each battery to assure that the sub base would remain dry and stable. Beckett & Raeder served as the architect of record.

GMB was retained by Central Michigan University to design a new, synthetic turf, multi-purpose field, to be used by their lacrosse and soccer teams, as well as Central Michigan intramural and club teams.

This multi-use approach was heavily considered in the planning so a maximum number of students would benefit. The lighted, synthetic turf facility includes locker rooms, training room, a fully-operational press box, concessions, scoreboard and seating for approximately 1,000 fans. In addition, a storm water retention system was incorporated into the project. This project is LEED certified.