Original Construction
1901
Completion Date
2014
Size 
13,000 sqft
Awards
2015 Michigan Historic Preservation Network Building Award
State Register of Historic Places

Built in 1901 for the university’s dairy program, Chittenden Hall is one of the oldest buildings on Michigan State University's campus and an integral part of its historic "laboratory row." The two-story masonry building, featuring a 13,000-square-foot basement, represents a utilitarian turn-of-the-century academic structure. After the relocation of dairy operations in 1913, it served as the Department of Forestry's headquarters before sitting vacant for 14 years in severe disrepair, burdened with decrepit systems and critical life-safety and accessibility issues.

HopkinsBurns Design Studio led the comprehensive rehabilitation of the 15,000-square-foot structure to transform it into the central headquarters for MSU’s graduate school. Following the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, the firm executed extensive exterior treatments, including repairing the cut granite foundation with red beaded joint profiles, consolidating deteriorated beadboard soffits, and using historic photos to accurately reconstruct original dormers and front steps that now double as mechanical air intakes. On the interior, the team extensively restored original fir wainscoting, solid oak doors, beadboard ceilings, and staircases, seamlessly integrating modern mechanical and electrical systems without relying on dropped ceilings. Additionally, HopkinsBurns designed a new south plaza and terrace that establishes barrier-free access and outdoor gathering space, connecting an accessible entrance to an elevator sensitively integrated into the historic fabric. The rehabilitation of Chittenden Hall exemplifies creative integration of modern technology with restoration of a historic structure, proving that historic buildings and materials can be symbiotic with modern needs.