Mortenson Completes $69M Makeover at CoD

CHICAGO—Mortenson Construction has just put the finishing touches on a $69 million renovation of the College of DuPage's library and McAninch Arts Center. This completes the comprehensive modernization and reconfiguration of the Glen Ellyn campus, an effort that has added more than 1-million-square-feet since 2009.

“With the strong support of area residents, College of DuPage has undertaken a truly impressive transformation of its campus to meet the changing needs of its diverse student body, both full-time students and working professionals,” says Greg Werner, vice president and head of the Chicago office of Mortenson. Founded in 1954, the privately-held Mortenson also has offices in Minneapolis, Denver, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Seattle, and operations in Canada and China.

“We are delighted to have helped make the vision a reality, serving as the construction manager for more than $140 million in new construction, such as the Student Services Center, and redevelopment that includes the main class room building, the award-winning Berg Instructional Center,” Werner adds.

Mortenson upgraded the library partly by taking out many of the study carrels and book shelves, replacing them with open areas for individual and group study. Mortenson also installed new technology, electrical and mechanical systems, including two 180,000-pound air handling units on the roof. The firm cut an opening in the structural slab to create a two-story atrium with a glass stairway that connects the library's two floors.

Along with the library makeover, Mortenson also rebuilt CoD's Student Resource Center, which houses the school's main IT operations, finance office and other administrative departments.

Mortenson built a new front entrance with a glass canopy for the MAC and added an art gallery for exhibits on the building's west side. Other upgrades included a new roof, radiant heating, ventilation and air-conditioning and replacing all exterior glass with energy-efficient glass. Mortenson reconstructed classrooms, recital and practice rooms and drawing and graphics studios and created a more open environment for students.

“Mortenson has been an integral part of our campus makeover, helping us create the right teaching, learning and performing environments that are helping set the standard for community colleges,” says Bruce Schmiedl, the school's director of facilities. “They have helped us achieve our goal of creating energy-efficient, practical and attractive facilities that encourage our community to pursue higher education, develop useful skills, and enjoy cultural opportunities.”