The University of Michigan Board of Regents approved a number of renovation projects at its monthly meeting Thursday.

The board approved a request to spend $1.8 million to update about 92,000 square feet of the 2 million-square-foot ex-Pfizer campus, renamed the North Campus Research Complex.

Four buildings at the former Pfizer complex in northeast Ann Arbor will be ready for occupancy in early 2010, where U-M will consolidate some of its off-campus offices.

The space is in 4 sections of the office building at 1600 Huron Parkway, just south of Plymouth Road. Those offices will be the first to move into the facility, which U-M bought during the summer.

In other news:

The board moved forward a $49 million renovation of a residence hall, approving the move to issue bids and award contracts.

The renovation of Couzens Hall, an a 180,000-square-foot residence hall that houses 560 students, is slated to begin in April 2010. Regents approved designs for the project in July. Plans include updating student rooms and the entryway, and new community spaces to be created out of a former dining hall and kitchen.

The Couzens Hall project is part of a multi-year plan to renovate student housing. It includes installation of new fire detection, alarms and fire suppression systems throughout the residence halls, officials said.

Other projects have included:
• Construction of the new Hill Dining Center, which opened in fall 2008 and adjoins Mosher-Jordan Hall. The cost was $21 million.
• Renovation of Mosher-Jordan Hall alongside Hill Dining Center. It re-opened in fall 2008 and cost $44.1 million.
• Construction of the North Quadrangle Residential and Academic Complex, which will be complete in fall 2010 for a cost of $175 million.
• The $175 million North Quad complex that replaces the U-M Frieze Building, which was formerly the Ann Arbor High School and the old
•Carnegie Public Library, both built in 1907. The facade of the Carnegie Library will be preserved.

An $11 million renovation for the 2nd floor of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute was also approved Thursday. According to Board of Regents materials, the project will help "create modern research laboratory space to support the institute." It includes the replacement of an electrical substation.