Minot State University is renovating Hartnett Hall, thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA.
It’s a $25 million project.
"It's a little bit of a sore thumb on campus," said Minot State Chief Financial Officer Brent Winiger. "It's functionally and aesthetically not engaging, or competitive."
Winiger said its a 50-year-old, board-form concrete academic building on campus.
"It's seen some better days," Winiger said.
Winiger said MSU went to the 2021 Legislature to ask for money for the renovation. He said initially, that request was turned down. But then ARPA dollars became available, and the 2021 special session approved the use of those dollars.
Winiger said Hartnett Hall is important to the University.
"It hosts a lot of our liberal arts programs, such as English, foreign languages, humanities, art, broadcasting, theater arts, communication," Winiger said. "We do a lot of other classes in there as well."
The renovation includes new labs, classrooms, workspaces, offiices, as well as a new gathering space and a new recital-lecture hall. And Winiger said it will also house the University’s new “e-sports” program.
