# List of Eastern Michigan University buildings

The following is a list of buildings at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. EMU is home to many notable structures, including three high-rise residence halls and the multi-building Eastern Michigan University Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Today EMU is composed of more than 122 buildings across 800 acres (3.2 km$^2$) of its academic and athletic campus.
The oldest remaining buildings on campus are Starkweather Hall and Welch Hall; the tallest buildings on campus are Hoyt, Hill, and Pittman Halls (collectively known as the Towers).

## Campus

EMU is located in Ypsilanti, a city 35 miles (56 km) west of Detroit and eight miles (13 km) east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 and started as Michigan State Normal School. In 1899, it became the Michigan State Normal College when it created the first four-year curriculum for a normal college in the nation. None of the original buildings from the Michigan State Normal School have survived, as many of the buildings were wood frame and did not age well. In 1914, Pease Auditorium was built making it the campus' first auditorium. By 1939, residence halls were established allowing students to live on campus. With the addition of departments and the large educational enrollment after WWII, the school became Eastern Michigan College in 1956. The large enrollment boosted the number of buildings and residence halls on campus. Between 1900 and the 1950s, around 20 buildings were constructed on the present-day campus.
Today, the university is composed of an academic and athletic campus spread across 800 acres (3.2 km$^2$), with 122 buildings. The EMU campus includes several buildings with sculpture by Corrado Parducci. The oldest remaining building on campus is Starkweather Hall, which opened in 1896, three days before Welch Hall. The Ypsilanti Water Tower, built in 1889, while not strictly speaking part of the campus, does border EMU on two sides; the north side of the water tower faces Welch Hall across Cross Street, while the east side of the tower faces a campus parking lot (formerly the site of the EMU gymnasium) across Summit Street. Hoyt, Hill, and Pittman Halls, are the tallest buildings in Ypsilanti by floor count; only the Ypsilanti Water Tower, standing 147 feet tall on the highest ground in Ypsilanti, stands taller.

### Historic buildings

Eastern Michigan University's Historic District, comprising Welch, Starkweather, McKenny and Sherzer Halls, is on the National Register of Historic Places The district was established in 1984.
Pease Auditorium is listed on the National Register of Historic Places independently from the Historic District, receiving the designation in 1984.

## Academic buildings

Many of EMU's colleges are housed in specific buildings. EMU's newest academic building is the Everett L. Marshall Building, EMU's first "green" building on campus. The building features extensive use of natural lighting and stair treads, furnishings, and furniture made of recycled materials. Flooring throughout the building is made from recycled and renewable resources. Other significant buildings include Pray-Harrold; when built in 1969, it was one of the largest classroom buildings in the United States.
| Building | Architect | Style | Completed | Last Major Renovation | Current usage | Namesake | Notes |
| Everett L. Marshall Building | Landberg Associates, Inc. | Modern | 1999 | | Academic (College of Health & Human Services) | Everett L. Marshall, Dean of Records and Teacher Certification | Built on site of former Goodison Hall |
| Ford Hall (1967–present), Library (1929–1962), Mark Jefferson Library (1952–1967) | Lansing architects Bowd & Munson | Colonial Revival Architecture | 1929 | 1982 | Academic (School of Art & Design); art gallery | Richard Ford, Head of Modern Language Department from 1903 to 1940 | |
| Gary M. Owen College of Business | Dow, Howell and Gillmore Associates | Michigan Modern | 1988 | | Academic (College of Business) | Gary M. Owen, former Michigan Speaker of the House | |
| Mark Jefferson Science Complex | Einhorn, Yaffee Prescott | Brutalist | 1967 | 2010 | Academic | Mark Jefferson, Geography Department head 1901-39. | |
| Pease Auditorium | Smith Hinchman & Grylls | Neoclassical | 1914 | 1990s | Performance hall | Frederic H. Pease, professor of music from 1858–1909 and Head of Conservatory at MSNS | |
| John W. Porter Building (1997–Present) The Library (1967-1997) | Swanson Associates | Brutalist | 1967 | 1998 | Academic (College of Education) | John W. Porter, President from 1979 to 1988 | |
| Pray-Harrold Building | Swanson and Associates | Brutalist | 1969 | 2011 | Academic (College of Arts & Sciences) | Carl Esek Pray, Head of the Logical Science and History Department from 1914 to 1938, and Charles F. Harrold, Professor of English Literature from 1925 to 1943. | |
| Quirk Dramatic Arts Building & Sponberg Theater | Smith Hinchman & Grylls | International/Modern | 1959 | 1984 | Quirk Theatre, 411-seat theatre; Sponberg Theatre, 202-seat theatre; Academic (School of Communication, Media, & Theatre Arts) | Daniel L. Quirk Jr., local philanthropist, and Harold Sponberg, President from 1965 to 1974 | Daniel L. Quirk Jr. was from a prominent Ypsilanti family; he founded The Ypsilanti Players, Inc. in 1933 and his daughter, Nancy Quirk Williams, was First Lady of Michigan, 1949 to 1961. New classroom and office space was added in 1967, and the building was last renovated in 1984 to expand the scene and costume shops, and enclose the Amphitheatre, which was renamed the Sponberg Theater. Harold Sponberg was President of Eastern from 1965 to 1974. |
| Roosevelt Hall (1973–Present) Roosevelt High School (1924-1969) | Smith Hinchman & Grylls | Colonial Revival & Neoclassical | 1924 | 1973 | Academic (College of Technology) | US President Theodore Roosevelt | |
| Sherzer Hall & Observatory | E. W.. Arnold | Late Nineteenth Century Eclectic, Georgian Revival and Victorian Romanesque | 1903 | 1973 and 1989 | Academic;astronomical observatory | Dr. William H. Sherzer, professor of geology and head of Department of Natural Sciences from 1892 to 1932 | |
| Sill Hall | Swanson and Associates | International style | 1965 | 2021 | Academic (College of Technology) | John Mayhelm Barry Sill, President from 1886 to 1893 | |
| Strong Hall | | | 1957 | 2019 | Academic | | Connected to Mark Jefferson Building as part of Science Complex |
| Geddes Town Hall School House | Unknown | Vernacular | 1895 | 1987 | Academic (College of Education) | | One-room school originally located at Morgan and Thomas roads in Pittsfield Township, used as a school until 1957. Moved to campus in 1987. |

## Administrative and student life buildings

EMU has several administrative buildings that also serve as student life locations. Bruce T. Halle Library houses one of the largest collections of children's literature in the United States. The building has as an automated retrieval system (the ARC) capable of housing 1 million items. While the most-used books are still on shelves, the majority of the school's books are stored within this system, which runs several stories underneath the library itself. Other buildings of historical significance include McKenny Union, Pierce Hall, Starkweather Hall, and Welch Hall. McKenny was the first student union on the campus of a teachers' college when it opened in 1931. Pierce Hall was dedicated as part of the centennial celebrations of the Normal College in 1949. The residents of Ypsilanti donated the money to construct the 120-foot tower; in June 1950, the school installed the Alumni Memorial Chimes, which were donated by the alumni and dedicated to those who died in World War II. Starkweather Hall is the oldest building still standing on EMU's campus, and Welch Hall is the second oldest building on campus. In parts of Starkweather, the original doorknobs remain, bearing the initials "SCA" for the Student Christian Association, for whom the building was originally constructed. Starkweather Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
| Building | Architect | Style | Completed | Last Major Renovation | Current usage | Namesake |
| Boone Hall (1968–present) Administration Building (1914–1950) The Arts Building (1950–1962) Ford Hall (1962–1968) | Smith Hinchman & Grylls | Renaissance Revival | 1914 | 1990s | Administrative | Richard Gause Boone, President of Michigan State Normal College (1893-1899) |
| Bruce T. Halle Library | Giffels, Hoyem, and Basso, Incorporated | Modern | 1997 | | Library | Bruce Halle, MSNC alumni and founder and chairman of the board of Discount Tire |
| McKenny Hall (2009–Present) McKenny Union (1931-2008) | Frank Eurich Jr | collegiate gothic & art deco | 1931 | 1963, 1993, 2008 | Administrative; student life | MSNC President Charles McKenny (1912-1933) |
| Pierce Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | Late Modern / Late International with PWA Modern detailing | 1948 | 1989 | Administrative | John D. Pierce, the first State Superintendent of Instruction from 1836 to 1841 |
| Public Safety Building (formerly the Hoyt Conference Center) | K. F. Leinninger Associates | International | 1969 | 2010 | Police Department (EMU DPS) | |
| Student Center | Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates | Post Modern | 2006 | | Student activity center | |
| Starkweather Hall | Malcomson and Higginbotham | Richardsonian Romanesque | 1895 | 1961, 1976, 1990 | EMU Honors College | Mary Ann Newberry Starkweather, local philanthropist |
| Welch Hall (1960s-Present) Training School (1896-1960s) | Malcomson and Higginbotham | Georgian Revival | 1896 | 1988 | Administrative offices; President's office | Adonijah S. Welch, first President of Normal Training School |

### Dining

Eastern has two food courts, an all-you-care-to-eat cafeteria, a marketplace, seven cafes, and three convenience stores. The larger dining facilities on campus are geographically located near residence halls.
| Building | Completed | Last Major Renovation | Dining Style | Former Name(s) |
| The Commons | 1960s | 2011 | Buffet service style | Dining Commons 1 (DC1) |
| Eastern Eateries | 1960 | 1990s and 2018 | À la carte | Dining Commons 2 (DC2) |
| CrossRoads MarketPlace | 1969 | 2008 | À la carte, Convenience Store | Dining Commons 3 (DC3) |
| Student Center Food Court | 2006 | | Restaurants: Build Pizza, The Hasty Rabbit, Lobby Shop (convenience store), Smashburger, Sono, Starbucks | |
| Eagle Cafe at McKenny Hall | | | À la carte, Convenience Store | |
| Eagle Cafe at Pray-Harrold | | | À la carte, Convenience Store | |
| Eagle Cafe at Alexander Music Building | | | À la carte, Convenience Store | |
| Eagle Cafe at the College of Business | | | À la carte, Convenience Store | |
| Eagle Cafe at Halle Library | | | À la carte, Convenience Store | |
| Eagle Cafe at Mark Jefferson | | | À la carte, Convenience Store | |
| Eagle Cafe at Marshall Building | | | À la carte, Convenience Store | |

## Athletic and recreation buildings

EMU has several athletic and recreation facilities used for various sporting events and entertainment events. The EMU Convocation Center hosts convocation, graduation, and concerts. In 2008, Bruce Springsteen performed at Oestrike Stadium in support of Barack Obama during his presidential campaign. "Big Bob's"Lake House hosts yearly events in University Park.
| Building | Designer | Completed | Last Major Renovation | Current usage | Seating | Namesake |
| EMU Convo Center | Rossetti Associates / The Argos Group | December 9, 1998 | | Arena, women's basketball men's basketball | 8,824 Seats | |
| Bowen Field House | Giffels and Vallet | 1955 | 2010 | Arena for track and field wrestling gymnastics | 5,400 Seats | Wilbur Pardon Bowen, mathematics instructor and first head of the Department of Physical Education, 1894-1928 |
| Eagle Crest Golf Club | Karl Litten | 1989 | 1997 | Golf course, hotel | | |
| Multi-Purpose Air-Supported Indoor Facility (Indoor Practice Facility) | BEI Associates, Inc. | 2009 | | Youth soccer, little league baseball, high school football teams, EMU club sports and recreational groups and Six intercollegiate sports (football, baseball, softball, women's soccer and men's and women's golf) | | |
| Big Bob's Lake House | M.C. Smith & Associates Architectural Group | 1993 | | Meeting Space, Walking Path, Pond, Sand volleyball courts, ice skating, Relay For Life | 800 seat amphitheater | Long-time former Rec/IM Director Bob England. |
| Olds-Robb Rec/IM | Ralph Calder and Associates, | 1982 | 1991 | Indoor track, weight rooms, whirlpool, Jones Natatorium | | Lloyd W. Olds 1916 alumni, Physical Education professor, EMU’s track team coach 1921-42, |
| Oestrike Stadium | | 1971 | 2007 | Baseball Stadium, Softball Stadium, | 2,500 seats | Ronald E. "Oak" Oestrike, former Baseball Coach from 1965 to 87 |
| Olds/Marshall Track | | 1991 | | Track field, football field | 30,200 Seats | Lloyd W. Olds and Everett L. Marshall |
| Rynearson Stadium | | 1969 | 1994 | Football field | 30,200 Seats | Elton J. Rynearson Sr., football coach for 26 seasons |
| Scicluna Field | | | 2005 | Women's soccer, youth soccer | 700 seats | Paul Scicluna, first women's soccer head coach |

## Residence halls and apartments

EMU has 12 on-campus residence halls, four on-campus apartment complexes, and two university-owned houses. Many residence halls were built after World War II and named after influential professors and EMU presidents.
| Building | Architect | Completed | Last major renovation | Current usage | Namesake |
| 600 West Forest (former president's house) | R. S. Gerganoff | 1949 | 1975 | House | |
| 601 West Forest (Brinkerhoff-Becker House) | Unknown | 1863–1869 | 2010 | Apartment complex | George M. Brinkerhoff |
| Best Hall | Swanson Associates | 1960s | 2013 | Residence hall | Martha Best, a professor of Biology and Bacteriology from 1924 to 1952. |
| Brown Hall | R. S. Gerganoff | 1949 | 1973 | Apartment complex | James M. “Bingo” Brown, football and baseball coach in 1923–29 and first dean of men 1925-62. |
| Buell Hall | Swanson Associates | 1958 | 1990s | Residence hall | Bertha G. Buell Professor of History, English Lit, and Political Science from 1899 to 1937 |
| Cornell Courts | Swanson Associates | 1961 and 1966 | 2000s | Apartment complex | Located on Cornell Street |
| Downing Hall | Swanson Associates | 1957 | 1990s | Residence hall | Estelle Downing, professor of English from 1898 to 1938 |
| Goddard Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1955 | 1994 | none | Mary A. Goddard, professor of botany from 1900 to 1939 |
| Hill Hall | K. F. Leinninger Associates | 1969 | 2009 | Residence hall | Susan B. Hill, Dean of Women from 1939 to 1962 and Dean of Students from 1962 to 1969 |
| Hoyt Hall | K. F. Leinninger Associates | 1969 | 2012 | Residence hall | Charles Oliver Hoyt, Professor of Pedagogy and Head of Education Department from 1896 to 1928 |
| Jones Hall | R. S. Gerganoff | 1948 | 1994 | none | Lydia I. Jones, Dean of Women from 1924 to 1939 |
| King Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1939 | 1971 | Office space | Julia Anne King, Dean of Women from 1881–1886 and Head of History and Social Science Department from 1886-1913. |
| Munson Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1941 | 1973 | Apartment complex | EMU President John M. Munson |
| Phelps Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1968 | 2011 | Residence hall | Jessie Phelps, Professor in the Natural Sciences |
| Pittman Hall | K. F. Leinninger Associates | 1969 | 2011 | Residence hall | Marvin Summers Pittman, the “father of Lincoln Consolidated School” (a local school district), Director of Rural Education at Normal and an EMU faculty member from 1921-34. |
| Putnam Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1968 | 2011 | Residence hall | EMU President Daniel Putnam 1880; 1881–1883; and 1885-1886 |
| Sellers Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1968 | 2011 | Residence hall | John A. Sellers, Department Head of Chemistry from 1958 to 1964 |
| The Village (formerly Oakwood Village Apartments) | Post Modern Residential | 2001 | | Apartment-style residence hall | |
| Walton Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1968 | 2011 | Residence hall | Genevieve Walton, University Librarian from 1892 to 1932 |
| Westview Apartments | | 1967 and 1969 | 2000s | Apartment complex | Located on Westview Street |
| Wise Hall | Swanson Associates | 1968 | 2017 | Residence hall | Margaret E. Wise, a first grade teacher-trainer 1893 to 1939 and Director of Placement from 1927 to 1939 |

## Former buildings

Nine buildings that were once part of EMU's campus no longer stand. These buildings include the Old Main Building, The Conservatory, an unnamed wooden gymnasium, The Old Gymnasium, the Old Post Mansion, the Business and Finance Building and Goodison Hall, both designed by R.S. Gerganoff, and Pine Grove Terrace Apartments. Goodison was among the first residence halls built on Eastern Michigan’s campus.
The finance building went by various names such as the Health Center (from being built to 1961), the Frederick Alexander Music Building (1961–1984), and informally "Old Alex" after 1980. In 2005, Pine Grove Apartments were demolished to make room for the Student Center.
| Building | Architect | Completed | Demolished | Usage | Location |
| Goodison Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1939 | 1998 | Residence Hall | Goodison was demolished to build Marshall Hall |
| Alexander Hall | R.S. Gerganoff | 1939 | | Health Center, Music building | |
| Old Gymnasium | | 1896 | 1965 | Gymnasium | Old Gymnasium stood in the block bounded by Cross Street, Summit Street, Ellis Street (now Washtenaw Avenue), and Normal Street, near the Ypsilanti Water Tower and Welch and Boone Halls on the EMU campus |
| Old Main Building | | 1852, burned down 1859, rebuilt 1860 | | classrooms, library, and administration functions | The south wing stood near the present location of Boone Hall, the north wing was near the present location of Pierce Hall, and the rear addition reached the location of Ford Hall. |
| Pine Grove Terrace | Swanson Associates | 1955 & 1957 | 2005 | Apartment complex | Where the EMU Student Center stands today |