Art museum still raising funds for construction
By Kayla Habermehl (Last updated: 08/28/09 6:02pm)Although construction of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum was delayed earlier this spring, university officials said the project is on schedule to break ground in spring 2010.
Linda Stanford, associate provost for academic services, said MSU is continuing to raise money for the $40- to $45-million project. Ground breaking for the building originally was set for spring 2009 but was delayed a year because of inflated cost estimates and continuing efforts to find funding for the museum.
“We are continuing to raise funds,” she said. “We’re working toward spring ground breaking with the idea that once we have the ground breaking, the trucks will begin moving in.”
The Broads donated $26 million to the project in summer 2007. Eli Broad, a billionaire philanthropist, is an MSU alumnus.
Stanford declined to say how much money MSU had raised thus far in addition to the Broads’ donation.
“We’re close enough to go forward,” she said.
She said MSU is trying to keep the cost close to $40 million, but because of changing costs of materials and supplies, the cost could increase to about $45 million.
The design for the building was created by London-based architect Zaha Hadid and was chosen in January 2008.
The museum will be located on East Circle Drive across from Student Services. Stanford said there have been some changes to the original design.
“Basically, we’ve moved a few things in the internal spaces, but it will look like it does on the Web,” she said. “We don’t know the nature of the exterior planning … (It will be) silvery and it’s not going to be brick.”
Special education senior Emily Francis said she liked the design for the museum, which is different than the surrounding buildings.
“It’s bringing a new culture,” Francis said. “None of these buildings (around the site) are outdated — in a couple decades (the museum) will be vintage.”
Jed Dingens, a teaching specialist in the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction who uses the museum’s design for his classes, said the hardest part of the planning process is working on the skin for the structure.
The skin is like the envelope or clothing for the building, Dingens said.
The roof of the structure has pleats, which is a challenge because the valleys will collect snow and rain and could lead to leaks, he said.
“The hardest part is — right now — trying to get the envelope skin built in a way that won’t leak,” Dingens said. “I met Zaha Hadid and I said ‘If you can pull off this pleated wall, it will be a great accomplishment.’”
Dingens said he wasn’t aware of any other recently built structure in a snow-bearing country with a pleated roof.
“I’m glad MSU has a chance to do a signature building like this,” he said.
Stanford said the university also plans on re-paving East Circle Drive after construction on the museum is complete.
“We’re coordinating so we don’t tear it up twice — it’s fairly bumpy,” Stanford said. “We don’t want to come in with heavy trucks and then destroy it.”
Originally Published: 08/12/09 10:23pm
student
08/12/09 10:37pmNICE!
GO GREEN! GO WHITE! GO STATE!
Glad I'm Graduating
08/13/09 10:06amThis building is hideous. It’s an awful design that doesn’t go with any of the architecture on that side of campus, not to mention expensive for the University. Hopefully the fundraising efforts will go on indefinitely and we won’t have to endure watching such a monstrosity being built on campus.
student
08/13/09 10:24am“expensive for the University”
The Museum is being funded privately with the money of alumni and friends of MSU. MSU has no major expenses.
“This building is hideous”
Actually, the building is quite nice. The thing is that online it looks too futuristic but when it is finished it will be a great piece of art itself.
Townsend
08/13/09 1:55pm^Glad I’m Graduating” sadly proves, once again, MSU really needs to tighten up its admission standards and stop letting such low-brow/clods into our great university. One thing, Glad, you and I agree on: you can’t get your dumbass off our beautiful campus fast enough.
Disappointed
08/13/09 2:43pmGlad’s position sums up what a lot of students think about the museum. A look through the SN’s previous articles will show you that. I think any poll of students on campus will prove that not many support the design/location of this building.
Townsend
08/13/09 7:17pmIf it were simply a diseign dispute, I may slightly understand (but, btw, I think something new and different is needed; it’s across the street from the ugly 50-ish Student Services building, after all). can’t we appreciate modern, different? …
I’m not giving Glad that much credit. He also gripes about cost even though it’s clear (if the dunce would read) that it’s all going to be private money, most paid by the Broad’s… No, Glad is just an air-head who offers nothing logical to the discussion (just like the jerk on the letters page who pines for a higher “Party” rating for MSU…
… some MSU students like Glad make me ashamed to be a Spartan.
RC River
08/14/09 11:23amDo you think an experimental roof is likely to result in an abandoned
building? Bold, innovative artistic visions can inspire the masses.
Buildings that pancake under the snow load of a Michgan blizzard can
inspire critics of government waste. (Yes, I read, it’s all free
money … most Michigan taxpayers will not know, or care.)
Ugly
08/14/09 8:35pmI hope this building is never built. It is the ugliest building I think I’ve seen in a long time, and definitely should not exist on MSU’s campus. It looks like a gigantic speed boat for Christ’s sake! And of course they won’t comment on how much money they’ve raised for the museum because they haven’t raised shit. The general public and MSU alums don’t want that ugly POS on our beautiful campus and will not fund it.
'67Alum
08/15/09 5:29amReading these negative comments reminds me that MSU students aren’t known for their love of the arts, which is not a strong area of the university.
This building reminds me of the way the pyramid entrance to the Louvre strikes you when you first see it. It is completely foreign to the surrounding structures. The Broad Museum will shock at first sight. It will be like a huge piece of sculpture sitting in the midst of all the traditional brick buildings. Its location will allow easier access to visitors who had a hard time finding Kresge. It will be a signature building for the campus beautiful – a high-point for the university. It will be cool!
observer
08/15/09 4:42pm“….MSU students arenât known for their love of the arts, which is not a strong area of the university.”
You hit that nail squarely on the head,‘67Alum. An understatement, if anything, of the general campus take on visual arts and anything modern. I’d say this is true of most of the population too, especially in the midwest, so it’s predictable. Most people like the familiar, the traditional, what they’ve always seen and known. ...View full comment »
student
08/15/09 7:40pmThere is something very important that needs to be mentioned.
Many criticized the architecture on campus as being monotonous and that it doesn’t help to the beautiful landscape that makes the MSU campus one of the most beautiful in the country.
Well, we must remember that being MSU a state-funded University it relies on funds provided by the state to build, maintain and renovate the facilities.
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observer
08/15/09 10:49pmWell, actually we don’t….. we don’t at all. In fact, I would suggest that respect should definitely not be extended when the opinions expressed make no sense whatsoever, are painfully lacking in reasoning, or are based on blatant factual inaccuracies.
We are not in the ‘hood here, now are we, with every idiot yapping about disrespect?
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Townsend
08/17/09 10:31amâI would suggest that respect should definitely not be extended when the opinions expressed make no sense whatsoever, are painfully lacking in reasoning, or are based on blatant factual inaccuracies.â — observer
Amen, observer, and I agree with the gist of what you’re saying otherwise… Look, MSU has a diversified group of people who attend and are alums, and many (dare I say, most) appreciate the main facts of this endeavor: a) this museum will substantially raise the appreciation of art in the community and, at the same time, esp thru its architecture (for after all, the essence of architecture is art, b) the facility (esp its funky, modernistic architecture) will raise the status of MSU as an institution that appreciates the arts locally and nationally â hell, it already has as the New York Times has already run several pieces chronically the new building and architect Zaha Hadid, whoâs internationally renowned, and c) this project is funded solely by private fundraises lead by billionaire alum Eli Broad, who obviously loves his alma mater based on this project and the millions heâs already dropped on this school, most notably, the Biz school that bears his name (after he donated over 20M, which at the time was the largest ever sum given to a business school)⦠Itâs a win-win proposition on all fronts.
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Karl
08/17/09 10:31amIt would easily be the most interesting and fascinating building in mid-Michigan, if not the entire state. I sincerely hope that the architect can find solutions working with the contractors to maintain the integrity of the design. If/when this building is built it will be an attraction unto itself. Are there risks? Certainly! But if it succeeds it will be spectacular and that is something that East Lansing and the MSU campus has in small supply.
Townsend
08/17/09 10:33am^^btw, I want to also applaud both student and ’67 Alum for both their thoughtful comments, as well…
Townsend
08/17/09 10:34am… and Karl, too…
MSU Employee
08/18/09 4:20pmTownsend, how is it that comments like “It would easily be the most interesting and fascinating building” ‘thoughtful’, while comments such as “This building is hideous” ‘low-brow’ and ‘dumb’? They are both statements expressing one’s opinion of the buildings design. The only difference is that one you agree with while the other you do not.
I guess I must be dumb too, because I agree that it’s a hideous design. Just because it’s art, doesn’t mean it’s good art.
Regardless of whether I like it or not though, I wonder how they will fit it on that small piece of land.
re MSU employee
08/19/09 8:43amThe person who said that the building was “hideous” got his/her facts wrong and was corrected by someone else. The ones who praised it actually made thoughtful comments (like ’67 Alum who made a reference to the Louvre).
Do you find this comment to be thoughtful at all? “The general public and MSU alums don’t want that ugly POS on our beautiful campus and will not fund it.”
TOWNSEND
08/19/09 12:55pmWHY WON’T EVERYONE APPRECIATE THIS AWESOME BUILDING ALREADY
MSU Employee
08/19/09 11:18pmI don’t see how one is any more than the other. My point is that someone isn’t dumb just because you disagree with their opinion.
I think an art museum is a fine idea. Not only good for the University but valuable to promoting art. However, many people dislike the proposed design and are protective of MSU’s historic architecture and image. Those people will not donate funds to build Hadid’s design. ‘Ugly’ has a point there.
Townsend
08/20/09 11:08amAt the end of the day, I never did ask for debate, only appreciation. There is simply no valid reason to be unappreciative unless you hate art.
the REAL Townsend
08/20/09 11:56amSome fraud is faking my screen name — which I’ve used for some time, w/ the last several posts… MY LAST POST was on 8/17, just so ya know… Whoever’s faking me, I’m glad you have a twisted enough mind and enough time to waste on silly stuff…
Badk to the issue: my only question, once again, is if this building is so ugly and in-harmonious (word?) with the others, how do account for the (bland-to-ugly) 50s/60s Student Services building, across the street from where the Broad Museum will rise, or the very bland Paolucci building that the museum is replacing… If you can’t answer this and are only ragging on the supposed “ugliness” of the museum, I think you’re full of it and are not adding anything intelligent to the conversation.
… also, I echo the comment of the excellent location of the new museum bridging EL and Campus, as well as being on North Campus which is the Liberal Artsy part of MSU — so glad MSU is not moving it, like it’s doing w/ so many programs (like many in the soon-to-be-demolished Morrill Hall) to the srawling, ugly, tech-oriented South campus…
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Spartan85
08/20/09 4:05pmi dont know what mr. townsend is trying to pull but i agree with msu employee. people that find the building ugly dont want to pay for its maintenance.
B Dubz
08/20/09 6:23pmLove the design but NOT the location on campus. For the most part, buildings north of Red Cedar should stay as the more historic side of campus. A perfect place for the Broad Museum is the old CATA station location, which is now an ugly parking lot next to Shaw and Farm Ln.
oh
08/20/09 8:47pmIf you don’t want to pay for the maintenance, then dis enroll yourself from the university.