MSU President's Newspaper Column
May 31, 2025
Renovation of Old Main well underway
Mayville State was extremely fortunate to be granted $52,254,901 in state funding for the renovation of Old Main during the legislative session in 2023. The first round of funding ($17,330,087) was received in the 2023-25 biennium. We are grateful to the 69th Legislative Assembly for approving the balance of the appropriated funding ($34,924,814) during the 2025 session.
The renovation of Old Main will be transformational, not only for the building, but also for the entire university, community, and region. Preliminary work on the Old Main renovation project began in the summer of 2023, and project completion is slated for the summer of 2026.
Mayville State University selected Foss Architecture + Interiors to lead the renovation. Additionally, PCL Community Contractors is the Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR). We are grateful to be teaming up with outstanding individuals who are working hard to make sure the project is the best that it can be. We meet with these folks weekly, and sometimes more, to be sure we are informed of the latest developments, as well as to plan for what lies ahead.
People and their offices were moved out of the building last summer. We were able to find office space in various campus locations, including the Campus Center Classroom Building, Education Building, Berg Hall, the library, and the Larson Center. Classes are meeting for the most part in the Classroom Building, the Science Building, and the Education Building. While the accommodations are not ideal, I applaud the faculty, staff, and students who are making sacrifices, all with the end goal of a beautiful facility in which to learn and work.
The Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the Old Main project was confirmed a while ago, and the project is on time and on budget.
At a recent town hall meeting held for faculty and staff, Jeff Lorber, who is with PCL and superintendent on the Old Main project, reported on the status of the project. He said the summer months, from now to October, will be peak time for the project. All outdoor work will be completed during this time, and there will be anywhere from 75 to 125 people working on any given day.
The work includes constructing the additions that will be built on both the east and west ends of the building. The purpose of these additions will be to provide stairway access (fire escapes) as well as a home for HVAC equipment. New windows will be installed, and exterior brick work will be completed. In addition, the landscaping will be done, and the exciting new north entrance will be constructed.
A good deal of exterior work has already been completed or is well underway. The excavation work around the foundation has been done and crews have applied a coating that will help to waterproof the foundation. Great progress has been made with regard to footings and preparations for the east and west end additions. In addition, the former exterior fire escapes and east end stairway addition were removed several weeks ago. A conical roof on the north side of the building has been removed to make way for a beautiful new conference center that will not only be functional, but it will also provide a wonderful place from which to look over the campus.
In the town hall meeting, Lorber and Troy Bixby, project manager, talked about some treasures and surprises that have been found during the renovation process. Two cisterns were discovered during the exterior excavation process. A tunnel that ran from the north entrance to the building and ran south was uncovered recently. It’s believed that this is where coal for heating entered the building at one time. People think that there have been as many as nine fires in the building. When removing sheetrock on the second floor, the columns that once graced the original Mayville State library were uncovered. A charming 1930s vintage mural painted by Otto S. Nielsen of Detroit Lakes, Minn. was revealed in the lower level. Some miscellaneous things like papers, bottles, cans, etc. have also been found.
The Old Main renovation project benefits the campus and community in many ways. Those who are working on the project are making purchases in town and every effort is being made to support local businesses in the project itself. This infusion of dollars is beneficial for all in our community.
As this exciting work is ongoing, I think about how the completed facility will provide fantastic space, primarily for learning, but for other purposes as well. I can imagine that the new and improved Old Main will be a wonderful place for hosting May-Port and Traill County Economic Development meetings and events; high school music, speech, and drama events; Collegiate DECA and North Dakota Student Association activities; state meetings; and so much more. The state’s investment in this building will benefit Mayville State students, faculty, and staff and our community, as well as the greater good of our state. We are truly grateful.
Stay up-to-date with the Old Main project at www.mayvillestate.edu/oldmain.
