Construction is well underway on a $104.5 million renovation and addition to the University of Minnesota's historic Pioneer Hall. Design architect KWK Architects, partnered with architecture/engineering firm-of-record TKDA of St. Paul, Minn., was contracted to transform the aging residence hall into a modern living space for the university's students.
Constructed in stages from 1928 to 1932, Pioneer Hall is one of the oldest residence and dining halls on the U of M Twin Cities campus. University officials debated for several years over whether to completely renovate or tear down and replace the outdated structure, which did not meet current building codes and was not handicap accessible. It was also plagued with narrow corridors, small rooms and bathrooms, poor layout, limited social/study space, no air-conditioning, outdated electrical and plumbing systems, and a subterranean dining facility.