Jamrich Hall reopens

Jamrich Hall at NMU is officially jammin’. The new state of the art facility is now complete just in time for the fall semester. School officials gave us a sneak peek on a tour of the new facility earlier today.

Four years from design to construction to completion, Jamrich Hall is bursting with that new building smell.
The building houses four academic departments, five lecture halls, and a digital monitor listing classes and other relevant information.

Designers say every element of the building has a purpose.

“In the building there are 24 classrooms, they all support collaborative learning, there are also seven informal learning areas scattered throughout building. Those areas have about 250 seats, the intent of those is to provide students with a place to go in between class,” said Jim Thams, Associate Director Engineering & Planning, Northern Michigan University.

University staff says the facility will showcase a comfortable learning environment to enhance education and study efforts.

“This is an impressive facility, it has state of–the–art technology, different levels of active learning can take place here, great gathering spaces for students and a Starbucks lounge and an auditorium with nearly 500 seating capacity,” said Kristi Evans, News Director, Northern Michigan University.

And not to worry, the “heart” is still around. The photogenic facet is now an official landscaped area made from sandstone carved out of remnants from the old Longyear Hall.