Construction on the Mills Hall project started in May 2014. The freshman residence hall was built in the late 1960s, said Bryan Duncan, director of capital planning and improvement at the university, and was previously not air-conditioned. As such, the building was completely gutted and renovated to include not only cooling, but also light-filled lounge spaces on the upper living floors. Upon completion, the building will also include new multipurpose student meeting spaces, restrooms and shower facilities as well as new elevators. Indianapolis-based Ratio served as the architect on the project, while locally based Hannig Construction served as the general contractor.

Renovations on Normal Hall also began in May 2014. The building was originally constructed in 1910 and served as the ISU library from 1910 to 1972. It was listed on both the national and state Register of Historic Places in 2002 for its role in education and historical significance as a key example of Neo-Classical design.

“Finishes in the building are extraordinary, including the art glass dome,” Duncan said. “ISU has been preserving the building for years in hopes of a renovation project, and we are excited to be completing the building this August. The building will house student programs and will receive heavy use by students, especially freshmen.”

The opalescent art glass dome covers the building’s grand rotunda, which pays tribute to famous philosophers and educators — including six from Indiana. A flat ceiling added in the 1950s obscured Normal Hall’s dome, but renovations will restore the dome’s original grandeur.

Other projects underway at the university include the renovation of Blumberg Hall, which began in May and will be completed by July of next year, according to the South Bend Tribune. It is the second of four Sycamore Towers residence halls on the west side of campus that will undergo major renovations. The first was Mills and the next will be Cromwell.

A $1.5 million renovation of Dede Plaza will continue through October. ISU also is working on the Sycamore Bike Trail, which serves as an extension of the National Road Heritage Trail. It will extend from the river campus behind ISU’s new track and field complex to First and Cherry streets. ISU is also adding a new parking lot at First and Chestnut streets with approximately 200 new parking spaces. Hannig Construction also worked on Blumberg Hall and Dede Plaza.

Additionally, a $22.7 million downtown housing project — part of a public-private partnership with Terre Haute-based Thompson Thrift — is already fully leased, reported the South Bend Tribune. Thompson Thrift built and financed the 75-apartment, 260-bed housing development, and ISU will lease the top four floors of the five-story structure.

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The building, originally constructed in 1953, will now offer students a high-tech, 21st century learning environment in the midst of the historic building.

“This is a beautiful building,” said Bruce McLaren, associate dean of the Scott College of Business. “We had a chance to save it, and so we were able to preserve the historic parts of the building as well as build a 21st century learning environment for our business students.”

Indianapolis-based architecture firm, Schmidt Associates completed the $20 million restoration with the future on their minds and history at their hands. They faced the challenge of creating a space for student learning and technology innovation, while preserving the many traditional deco elements of the building. Some important features that were preserved in the renovation of the historical courthouse include the judge’s library, a walnut paneled courtroom, a mural of the signing of the Magna Carta and elaborate finishes on the elevator doors.

“The level of finishes in this building is extraordinary,” said Bryan Duncan, ISU director of capital planning and improvement. “The marble and limestone finishes throughout the building are probably the main feature you notice.”

Not only are the design approaches aesthetically pleasing, but the design also matches the forward thinking curriculum of the university.

“The building is cleverly designed so the technology supports innovation, and I think that’s the way that it has to be,” said Brien N. Smith, dean of Smith College, in a statement.

The design focused on not just what architects were going to bring into the building, but what students have been carrying with them to class for the past couple years.

“Today’s college students travel everywhere with their iPad, laptop and smartphone, so we integrated cutting-edge technology into this historic building to provide power and data at everyone’s fingertips, and wireless access throughout to deliver the global access that students expect,” said Sarah Hempstead of Schmidt Associates. “In the short time the building has been in use, instructors are already seeing a renewed interest and energy from students who are more engaged with their studies.”

The building is a testament of “old meets new,” and shows how history can be preserved, despite the changes of school design and technology. The building is on the National Record of Historic Places, but the renovation is not conflicting with the preservation of history, instead it is helping to redefine the building.

“The completed renovation is beyond my original expectations,” said Dan Scott, namesake of the Scott College of Business and generous gift provider to help make Federal Hall renovations possible. “I thought it was going to be amazing when this all started, but it has turned out even better than I expected.”

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