Northern Michigan University will offer free public tours of the Phase I renovation of The Northern Center, formerly the University Center. They are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 21. Participants will see the Grand Ballroom and associated integrated technology, including pull-down screens and the projector, along with the new bookstore, pre-function space, service corridor and restrooms.
Upgrades to parking outside The Northern Center are underway. Construction material will be relocated so that new asphalt can be applied. There will also be islands in the existing parking lot. Landscaping enhancements at and nearby the lot will be completed in phases, beginning with the restoration of the Carillon Towers. Crews will install new benches, plant flowers around the towers and trim select trees that are encroaching on the site.
Phase II work on The Northern Center will continue through the summer. Completion is scheduled for the second week of September, with a dedication scheduled during Homecoming week.