Snyder signs bill granting University of Michigan $30M for construction project

The state Legislature approved the capital outlay request for renovations to George Granger Brown Memorial Laboratories on North Campus earlier this month.

The upgrade includes a 62,500-square-foot addition for research laboratories and offices for faculty and graduate students to support mechanical engineering research. The project was first approved by the U-M Board of Regents in 2010.

U-M will cover the remaining $17 million in renovation costs, bringing the project total to $47 million. Ann Arbor last received capital outlay funding in 2005.

The legislation authorizes construction on a statewide total of $613.1 million for 18 university and community college construction projects. The state is providing $304.5 million.

The projects faced some uncertainty as state officials searched for funding amid belt-tightening in Lansing.

"Prior to our new governor we were told these were a go," said Jerry Schulte, U-M associate director for construction and design, earlier this month. "I think they got handed to the governor with no funding source."

All capital outlay projects are being funded through the State Building Authority. Bonds are a key funding source for the projects.