UPDATE: NMU’s Jacobetti Complex under renovation

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - If you are around Northern Michigan University this summer, you may notice some changes around campus.

West Hall is coming down, and the Jacobetti Complex is under renovation, with a focus on career and engineering technology.

“The building will become smaller, we’re taking the footprint down to the size we need and we’re really updating the building for the training that happens in this facility,” said Derek Hall, NMU Spokesperson.

The hospitality management and cosmetology programs are moving to the Northern Center. Hall said it will provide students with more public exposure.

“Our hospitality students run a small restaurant during the semester, they’ve done that here for years and they’re going to take that to the Northern Center,” Hall said.

According to Hall, the 205,000 square foot Jacobetti Complex will be reduced by 40,000 square feet. The $28 million project is funded by the state and the university.

“For several years we’ve been working on that, and our team put together a great proposal. The state reviewed it, eventually approved it and funded this facility $20 million,” Hall said.

Half of the building will remain open for classes next school year, with completion expected in fall 2023. Meantime, the demolition of West Hall is expected to be completed this July.

“After 57 years of service, it came to a point where the maintenance of the building was so expensive, so it’s been closed for several years and is now being demolished. Short term, we’re looking at parking and maybe other options down the road,” Hall said.

Hall said both projects are much needed changes to campus.

NOTE: The NMU spokesperson misspoke in the original version of this story concerning the naming related to the major renovations at the Jacobetti Complex; no change at this time has been made. The State of Michigan funded a major remodel of the building using the name of Career Tech and Engineering Technology Facility to best describe the renovation project. If a facility name change is formally proposed, per university policy, it will be vetted in a public campus discussion to determine if it goes to the NMU Board of Trustees for consideration. Completion of the full renovation project is planned for August, 2024.

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