Location: Marquette, Michigan
Architect: Alden B. Dow
Throughout his long career, Alden B. Dow designed close to 80 educational structures, from pre- and elementary schools to entire college campuses. In Michigan and elsewhere, the 1960’s brought enrollment increases in colleges and universities due to the baby boom generation entering college age and a growing demand for higher education. Mr. Dow’s projects for colleges and universities likewise flourished in the 1960’s, with buildings completed for the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Northwood Institute, Delta College, Saginaw Valley College, Hillsdale College, and Northern Michigan University, as well as community colleges in Kalamazoo, Muskegon, and Harrison.
The project for Northern Michigan University involved the design and construction of a 173,000 square foot Learning Resources Center to house the library, television studios, faculty and staff offices, and associated service and equipment areas. Design development began in 1964 and went through a number of revisions culminating in working drawings in May 1966.
Contractors were invited to bid on the project in March 1967. Jim Cullen, Inc., of Janesville, Wisconsin was selected as general contractor for its low bid of $2,338,000. Electrical and mechanical contracts brought the construction cost up to $4,346,600; with equipment and furnishings the total project cost amounted to $5,500,000.
The exterior of the building is composed of brick with precast concrete and stucco panels at the roofline. The panels project outward over narrow bands of metal-framed windows. The gentle slope of the site makes a four-level building appear to have only two floors.
The lowest level of the LRC was occupied by the instructional television operations, including three studios, control rooms, equipment repair room, film and tape library, and offices. The first floor housed offices for 220 faculty and staff members, an additional television studio, and a Commons area. Located on the second floor were library stacks, seating, service desks, and offices, while the third level featured rooms for typing, viewing audiovisual materials, seminars, and studying.
According to the student newspaper, The Northern News, University officials conducted the final inspection of the new building in March of 1969. Books were transferred from the former library over the summer and the Learning Resources Center officially opened at the start of the fall 1969 semester.
Special thanks to the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives for the color aerial and color exterior photographs of the NMU LRC.
