MSU board to consider academic hall renovation with nearly $17M budget

An academic hall renovation with a budget of nearly $17 million is up for consideration this week by the Missouri State University Board of Governors.

The MSU board is scheduled to vote on the renovation measure for the 1955-constructed Cheek Hall at its June 13 meeting, according to the agenda. 

The project has a total budget of $16.9 million, and the board will vote on whether to approve The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. as the construction management at risk firm with a bid of over $13 million.

The agenda indicates the project would add services for the multibuilding Center for Transformational Education for Life, Physical and Health Sciences in Cheek Hall. Exterior upgrades are planned, as are HVAC improvements.

"The project renovates Cheek Hall to better serve the needs of students, faculty, staff and the campus community," the agenda reads. "It presents a strategic opportunity for the university to address long-standing deferred-maintenance issues, improve the facility’s overall functionality and expand academic capacity in computer science, software development, mathematics and data science disciplines critical to meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving workforce."

Work is expected to be completed in the fall 2026 semester.