Extreme makeover
MTU holds grand opening for Isle Royale BallroomBy LAYLA ASLANI, DMG Writer
HOUGHTON - The work done to Michigan Technological University's Isle Royale Ballroom is similar to a project you might see on the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
That was how Tech President Glenn Mroz described the work done to the Memorial Union Building's ballroom at its grand opening Wednesday afternoon.
Mroz expressed his gratitude to all those who made the project possible. Over the summer, the ballroom got a complete makeover including light fixtures in the bathrooms, a dance floor and carpeting. Where one once saw exposed cement block, wallpaper now greets the eye instead.
"This was one of those things that really needed to be done," Mroz said, adding that people could tell the need for the project more now that it is complete.
Standing at a podium, Mroz's image was captured on the newly-installed drop-down LCD screens located throughout the room, as well as on a big projector screen in the front of the room. Attendees sat on new gold-colored chairs and later milled about the room exclaiming how nice the renovations were.
Theresa Coleman-Kaiser, director of the Memorial Union and Rozsa Center, said the ballroom's new look was "fantastic" and what a person would expect in a high-end facility.
"We've gotten overwhelming positive feedback," she said.
Coleman-Kaiser said Tech's Board of Control approved the $1.75 million project that occured between May and August. Before the renovations, she said, the ballroom did 700 events a year and the number was only increasing, so the renovations will be put to good use.
"It's a very busy space," she said, adding that workers had to find time between events to complete the finishing touches.
The general contractor for the project was Gundlach Champion, Inc., while the architects were Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. of St. Cloud, Minn. and U.P. Engineers & Architects, Inc.
Layla Aslani can be reached at laslani@mininggazette.com
