New construction is underway at Minnesota North College’s Ely campus as part of the Vermilion Classroom Renovation Project.
The renovation — budgeted at $3,633,000 — encompasses approximately 6500 square feet, impacting six classrooms, several bathrooms, adjacent corridors and a lobby. The project funds were “approved through the bonding bill” in 2024 and also included the installation of a new roof on campus last summer. All construction is set to be completed by August 15, in time for the fall semester.
“These are all general purpose classrooms, and the impact on the students at Vermilion is huge, because 100% of students that go to this college use these classrooms,” said Dave Marshall, Director of Facilities for the campus.
Four 30-seat classrooms will be consolidated into two 45-seat lecture spaces, leaving four total classrooms among the six that existed prior to the renovation. Additional touches will also be put in place to match the college’s Northwoods branding.
“Each of these walls will have a 95-inch monitor and a whiteboard. But then the wall itself, including the windows, they all get painted. Each room is a little bit different. One gets green, one gets brown, one gets blue. They’re the Minnesota North colors. And then within that, there might be a picture here of somebody dog sledding on the whole wall,” Marshall said.
In some spaces, along the walls, they will be “putting in wood instead of just block, just so that it doesn’t feel quite as industrial.”
Two sets of bathrooms, as well as some near the library, will also gain upgrades.
“The bathrooms look just like they did in 1971, so it was time to update the finishes. It was time to make them ADA compliant, it was time to do those kinds of things,” Marshall said.
Additional changes include technology improvements, asbestos removal, emergency exits in recently-enlarged rooms and epoxy terrazzo flooring.
Previously, the floors had DCT tile, “which just looks institutional and takes a lot of maintenance,” Marshall said.
The renovation has been several years in the making.
“We started asking for this money in 2016,” Marshall added.
“Roof replacement last year was $1,192,490. Classroom Building Renovation so far this year has been $1,615,964. The remaining $825,000 is for furnishings, contingencies, and outside sidewalk/ stairway repairs in front of the building.”
The college contracted Max Gray Construction out of Hibbing to bring the project to completion.
